Second Time Around
by PikaSass
Summary: IT'S THE AAML YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR! Well, I hope so anyways! Ash and Misty are reunited on summer vacation two years after their bitter break-up. Can forgiveness and love ever come back into their lives? * Epilogue up* (Complete).
1. Prologue

DISCLAIMER: I, the author known as PikaSass, do not own Pokémon. So please don't sue.

A/N: This is it! My loooooong story! Yay! And this prologue is REALLY short. You wanted a proper summary, right? Well the main jist of it without giving too much away: Ash and Misty broke up bitterly 2 years ago, and Misty swore she could never face Ash again. But she's forced to when they're reunited at a popular summer vacation spot. The consequences of what follows test their faith, sanity and loyalties. Full of drama, it's not 29 chapters long for nothing! Well I'll shut up now and give you more notes at the end cos I know you're sitting there telling me to shut up. So here we go!

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~Prologue~

My story is not one anyone, lest of all myself, would be happy sharing. But my sisters have threatened that it could soon be spreading quicker than measles in a boarding school, and I believe them. They're still so ashamed of what I did that they would happily sell my story to some eccentric talk show host. And twist it to make them look like the victims.

Don't get me wrong, they were affected by it. My whole family was, and still is. But my sisters just have this delightful trait of exaggerating when necessary to make the world cast its sympathy eye on them.

So before they start ringing up Ricki Lake and whatnot, I am going to tell you my story the way it's meant to be told - accurately. It starts out simple enough, but you can expect that to change. Don't say I didn't warn you when I say that this is a 100% accurate, uncensored description of a very confusing and demanding time in my life.

Oh, please don't go thinking I killed anyone or anything! Lord no! And yes, I can actually see the relief on your faces as you realise this isn't an autobiography by a psychotic killer on death row.

No, this is an extended yet true description of a very important piece of the jigsaw puzzle that is my life. A piece that could very easily be bent outta shape.

Keep an open heart, and open mind, and two open ears as I tell you this. For this is the beginning of my new life as can be told by the only person who knows it best.

Me.

A/N: Was not joking when I said it was short, lol. Well I have posted the next one with this so it can kinda get the ball rolling. More notes to point out - it's long, no kidding, so I'll hafta put a couple of chapters up at a time if I want to get this all up before my holiday. I wanted to put up one every couple of days but I've run out of time to do that. And something else…I'll be rating it R a couple of chapters down the road, so if you don't approve or reading R rated stories then you should probably stop reading around chapter 8. Otherwise please read on! Thankies! 


	2. The Reunion

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon. Never have, never will.

A/N: Hmm, just reading over this I decided it could be a prologue if I really wanted it to be, but oh well, it's chapter one. All I can say at this point is that the story is still introductory here and that we will get into the swing of things soon enough. Thanks for clicking on this story in the first place!

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Chapter One - The Reunion.

"I can't believe you guys. I can't" I groaned, shaking my head in dismay as Daisy pulled the car to a stop.

"Like, chill out Misty, we thought you would, like, like it here" Lily said distractedly.

"No, you knew you would like it here and gave absolutely no consideration as to what I would like" I said heatedly. No doubt that was the truth of it all.

"Well it's not like we wanted you to come, you know" Violet reminded me as she stepped out of the car and viewed her surroundings. She pretty much just summed up the non-existent care and respect all three of my older sisters show towards me.

I sighed. She was right. Our parents, wonderful as they are, had forced us to go together in order to "re-bond" as they put it. If it hadn't been for my mom and dad, these three would be here having the times of their lives and I would be back having mine, in the vicinity and comfort of my room.

Hey, I'm not completely antisocial. But it's not my fault I was badly emotionally scarred at the age of 13.

Scarred by Ash Ketchum.

I hear you all gasp. Ash Ketchum? The youngest Pokémon Master ever? Well yes, he hurt me pretty badly. And since you're all nosey, I'll sum up as briefly as possible what happened between us. I befriended him, eventually fell in love with him, confessed to him, found out he felt the same, dated him, had the time of my life...until one day he came up to me and bluntly announced that he wasn't in love with me anymore. He was in love with that little cow, Giselle.

Oh yeah, he also proclaimed that he never wanted to see me again.

And, being 13 and under the illusion that I had found my soulmate, this was a kick in the guts. A very hard kick.

But now here we were, me now aged 15 and a bit, at Washbay Beach. Usually I would be thrilled at the prospect of spending three months at a beach, being a water Pokémon trainer and all. But I prefer deserted beaches.

Not beaches that are famous for teenage parties involving alcohol, eardrum-rupturing music and swarms of people. Every night.

Oh boy, this was gonna be a fun vacation.

I hauled my bag over to the bach we had rented out for the next three months (of hell) and slammed the door behind me bitterly.

"Okay, well tonight there's this, like, huuuuge party" Lily started. I suppressed a sarcastic laugh. Of course there's a "huuuuge" party, this is Washbay Beach after all. "And you," she continued, pointing a finger at me, 

"are coming with us."

My eyes went wide as I came to terms with the announcement. "What do you want me there for?"

"We don't" Violet said bluntly. "Mom, however does."

"How would Mom know whether I went or not?" I asked feebly, scared of what my mother had got up to. When it came to my presence in the outside world, there was no telling what she could do.

"Like, check it out, Mist. Smile for the camera!" Daisy said jovially, pointing at the spying device in the corner of the entrance.

Despite the horrors of the situation, I had to laugh. "Oh God, I'm on Big Brother. Isn't this a little bit over-the-top?"

"Well, the camera only comes on after 5pm and goes off at midnight. If she doesn't see you leave before 7, she rings" Violet said seriously.

My head spun. Even with my mother hundreds of miles away I was still being forced to go out in a crowd I wasn't even a part of.

Without another word I picked up my bag and dragged it to my room down the hall. I had to admit defeat. She was too powerful. With a heavy sigh I flopped onto my bed. This was going to be a very long three months.

*******

"Lily! C'mon, can't we just get to this party and get it over with?" I yelled, my fist repeatedly banging on the bathroom door. She had literally spent hours in there. I had already decided that my motto for the night would be the quicker we arrive, the quicker we can leave.

She finally emerged, unrecognisible with meticulous hair and a perfectly preened face to match. Although the perfectly preened face was twisted in an annoyed scowl.

"Wow, is there a private beauty parlour in there or something?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Haha, like, very funny runt. Nice to see you all dolled up" Lily replied sarcastically. Okay, so I was wearing a dress and my hair was done up in a loose bun. That was pretty 'dolled up' for me. And so what if the dress was denim? It was a dress, wasn't it?

"Yeah, well I do what I can." I shot Lily a grin and walked towards the kitchen. "Are you guys ready?" I directed the question to the lounge, where my other two sisters were 'patiently' waiting. To them, patience means actually waiting in the first place. It doesn't, however, exclude whining and complaining.

"Finally! God, I dunno what takes you so long when you, like, hardly make an effort" Violet said in distaste. I didn't bother telling them that I wasn't the one who had been holding them up. I knew there was no point.

I warily followed my sisters to the door and uttered what I thought would be my last words to the camera. "I hope you're happy, Mom." I closed and locked the door behind me to witness my sisters reconciliating with some complete stranger to me.

"Candy! Hi babe!" Daisy shouted.

"Hey guys!" this Candy chick replied, kissing the air beside all their cheeks. I instantly and correctly assumed that she was as big an airhead as my sisters. I mean, who honestly thinks they can name their kid Candy and 

get away with it? (A/N: No offense to anyone called Candy by the way.)

"Like, check it out, who invited the kid?" Candy asked, pointing a perfectly manicured nail in my face.

"That's our kid sister, Misty" Lily introduced me in a bored tone.

"We totally didn't want her here" Violet added. I lagged behind them as the four of them met up with people I had never met and arrived at the party. Not a word passed from my lips since we had left the house.

Eventually I gave up trying to sink into the shadows - it just kinda happened without even trying. Still, this amazed me, since I was having trouble finding somewhere to just sit out the night by myself without getting involved in anything. It was, after all, an outdoor party.

But then something hit me, (and no, I don't mean the beer bottle that was drunkenly thrown in my direction) and I decided to partake in a saying I usually ignore. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. So with that thought in 

mind, I flung off my (cheap) sandals and, having lost all direction of where my sisters had got to, merged into the throng of dancing, mostly drunk people.

And would you believe it? I almost enjoyed myself.

Almost.

There I was, dancing to some hardcore techno "song" - what kind of song is a whole lot of electronics put together? - when my flailing right arm came into contact with something. Someone.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" I yelled, wanting my apology to be heard over the noise. The person I had hit had his eyes winced in pain and was clutching his nose. Oops. "Are you okay?"

This person lifted his head and leaned over to my ear, whispering three words I wished I'd never heard.

"I'm fine, Misty."

I coiled back in surprise and watched in shock as Ash Ketchum revealed himself in front of me. The same Ash Ketchum I had fallen in love with two years ago. "Ash..." I whispered, my mouth now resembling a mill of sawdust.

Ash grinned and motioned to somewhere outside the huge group of people. For some idiotic reason I wish I'd picked up on then, I nodded and followed him out to a surprisingly quiet spot.

"Ash..." I could only repeat his name dumbly. Yet he continued to smile. Why was he standing there grinning away at the girl whose heart he'd broken? I shook my head as my shock was soundly replaced with anger. "What do you think you're doing here?"

"I'm here on a vacation..."

"With Giselle?" I snidely interrupted.

"No" Ash replied. Why did he sound/look so surprised? His face seemed to be clouding over in some kind of emotion I couldn't pick up... "The whole thing with me and Giselle never went anywhere" he announced flatly.

"Oh but you two were so perfect for each other, both of you being jerks and all" I sneered. Ash sighed, sat down on a rock and uncomfortably ran a hand through his hair. Good, feel uncomfortable, you bastard, you deserve it!

"Misty, I never wanted to leave you. I've been trying to find you" he said quietly.

"Well, I've been at the gym since we split, wouldn't that be the first place you'd look?" I replied sarcastically. Ash went noticeably quiet and I grinned in satisfaction. First round victory to Misty! 

"I didn't mean to hurt you. It wasn't my fault I left like that" he added.

"How could it not be your fault?!" I yelled, astonished by his attitude. This was not how I pictured our reunion to be going. In my imaginary scenarios I always ended up somehow hurting him, relishing in his 

crestfallen look as he experienced the pain he put me through...

I apologise. But I honestly have imagined it to be like that. I desperately wanted to hurt him the way he had hurt me. But in my limited power, I knew I could only do that by a fraction, if that.

"The League made me" Ash mumbled.

I couldn't suppress my laughs. "Okay Ash, I know you can never take the blame on yourself for anything, but honestly, the League?!" I exclaimed through my hysterics.

"Misty, would you shut up and listen to me!" Ash shouted in obvious frustration. I stopped laughing but stood there with a smug look on my face. If I couldn't hurt him, then frustration would have to do for now. He paused and continued in a quieter voice. "When I became Master, the League demanded that I be seen with someone...I dunno, respectable."

"Respectable?" I spluttered on the word. "I wasn't RESPECTABLE enough for you?!" I yelled with an undeniable and shameful shrill in my voice. I'm sure the whole of the beach could hear me, even over the music.

"Of course you were!" Ash replied hurriedly, jumping off the rock to face me. "In fact, just before I left you...I was falling in love with you."

Woah woah woah, where was all this love stuff coming from? Now I really was shocked. Seeing Ash for the first time in two years? That was cake compared to what he was telling me now. He had loved me? Why hadn't he told me that when it mattered? When I loved him?

It honestly took me about five seconds to realise that his hand was now on my cheek and his face was only inches away from mine. Coming back to my senses, I angrily slapped his hand away and stood back to face him.

"You can't do this to me, Ash! You can't keep playing with my mind like this! Don't you think if you had loved me then you would've prioritised? You know, love and _then_ the League?" I asked.

Ash was quiet and I knew then. His pokémon, his title, was more important to him than I ever had been or would be, even if he was trying to somehow lure me back now.

"No way, Ash. No way. Two years ago you hurt me so bad that it has changed me more dramatically than you'd care to realise! And now here you come, claiming to be a changed person and that you loved me and blah blah blah. Well you know something, Ketchum? I can't be bothered with that shit anymore" I said dramatically. Right out of a soap opera, I thought warily.

His shocked face...now that was the kind of face I had envisioned in our imaginary reunions. Hell, why stop now?

"I can't be bothered with you swanning in here and opening up old wounds that are only just starting to heal. And I mean only just. Tonight is the first time I've been properly out since you left me, and I was actually, can you believe it, starting to enjoy myself! Ha, stupid me, enjoying myself, I knew something would go wrong if I did!"

Oops. I was starting to sound more than a little hysterical. Tone down, tone down, my brain commanded. However, my vocal chords were in charge here.

"You wouldn't have changed even a fraction of what I have, Ash. So go tell all these lies or whatever to someone who gives two shits cos I honestly don't!" That was my closing statement as I ran off to the direction of the bach, ignoring Ash's distant pleas to come back.

I ran through the front door, gasping for breath and ignoring the red light of impending doom in the corner. I didn't care if Mom saw me come home early. I honestly didn't.

I didn't even bother turning the lights on as I collapsed to the ground, curling up into a ball and really let loose the waterworks. I cried and cried into my little ball of despair. I knew I must've sounded like a 

colic-ridden infant, but I didn't care. I needed to do this. I hadn't properly cried since Ash had left me. Sure, I had moped and sulked and vowed never to set foot outside the gym again. But I had never actually cried. Or 

sobbed. Or even let one little tear trickle pathetically down my face.

I guess I was making up for it now.

God only knows how long I sat there for. The sobs didn't subside and I started being grateful for the fact that my mother hadn't called and my sisters were obviously a long way off coming home.

So I just stayed there, thinking of Ash. How that one word put so many other words into my heart.

Ash. Once equaled love. Then equaled pain. And even now, still equals pain. Or multiple amounts of pain.

He was a very confusing sum to figure out.

A/N: Okay, so it's kinda short, they will get longer in the future, I swear! The next chapter will be posted in a day or two, it's sitting here on my hard drive ready to go but I wanna give you guys some time to read this one and the prologue. I'm trying to work out how to post these chapters so I don't run out of time and have to put them all up in a mad rush, lol. Puh-leese review, I love reviews so much and they help me out like you wouldn't believe, lol. Thankies very much, more soon!


	3. Confronting the Past

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon.

A/N: So here we are at chapter two, or three, or whatever it is! This one's longer than the previous one and….creative little me, I think that's all I have to say! Haha, just read on if you dare…

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Chapter Two - Confronting The Past.

"Miiiiiiisssssstttttyyyyyyy!" A loud - very loud - groan was heard from one of my sister's rooms and I sighed in exasperation. So the third one had woken up. Made her presence heard.

The couch I had been sitting on for the past 5 seconds only provided a minimal and temporary relief from the constant droning of my other two sisters. But now Lily had aroused from her slumber, obviously with the third hangover from hell that morning.

"Coming" I sighed again and slowly dragged myself off the couch. It was only 12:30 in the afternoon but I felt like I had been dragged through a week's worth of nursing. How did doctors do it?

"Misty, darling, I'm like, in sooo much pain" Lily moaned with a hand to her forehead. "What cures a hangover?"

"I thought you'd be the expert of that" I muttered.

"Miiiisty, don't mock me" Lily said pathetically.

"So sister dear, had one too many Bacardis last night?" I teased. I almost felt sorry for her. She was paler than the other two and she wasn't moving a lot. In fact, even her voice had considerably dropped a couple of dozen of decibels.

"I don't think it was Bacardi..." Lily replied, her voice strangled. "It might've been vodka..."

"Oh God" I mumbled. But I turned to her with a sweet smile. "I'll grab you a cup of herbal tea" I offered.

"Ewww" Lily said with absolutely no enthusiasm in her voice. "That stuff is disgusting."

I ignored her whining and turned back to the kitchen. As the kettle was boiling for about the 5th time that day, my brain once again locked back into the scenario that was last night. Was Ash crazy? Had he lost a good chunk of his brain cells while I had been gone? And why hadn't Mom called already?

I was calmly pouring the water to make Lily's much needed drink when the doorbell rang.

I physically jumped, narrowly missing the opportunity to scald my hand. We had a doorbell? No no, back to the main point...who was visiting us?

"Miiiisty" three dull voices called out simultaneously. "If it's Jeff/Greg/Zac tell him I'm not here!"

Geez, I knew triplets had special bonds, but I never knew they could moan the same thing in unison. Well, it was almost the same thing, each one had, of course, called out a different name...

The doorbell interrupted my pondering as it impatiently reminded me that someone was waiting for me to answer.

"Shut that thing up, it's sooo loud" Daisy complained. Honestly, she sounded louder than the doorbell itself.

I walked over and prepared myself with the following greetings: "Sorry, Daisy/Violet/Lily isn't in at the moment..." "No sorry, I'm not interested in investing in rainforests..." "I'll just find some spare change, your 

charity does wonders..."

However, I hadn't prepared myself for this. I opened the door and actually felt blood draining from my face as a microsecond glimpse of my visitor revealed itself to be Ash.

"Um..." I stammered. I had to compose myself. I couldn't let him get any ideas of how pathetic I had been the previous night after seeing him.

"Please don't yell" Ash pleaded, holding up his hands defensively. "I came to apologise for last night."

I finally found myself (welcome back, Mist) and glared into his begging eyes. "Go away" I said through clenched teeth. Deciding to let the soap opera thing drag on a bit longer, I hastily slammed the door in face, which only erupted in more whining from my sisters.

"Owww" I heard Violet groan. She sounded like she had been drugged and was now undergoing some torturous death. Something along the lines of being skinned alive. "Oh how my head pounds..."

The other two weren't much better, and through all their complaining the doorbell started ringing repeatedly. Naturally, the pressure build-up proved too much for me.

"SHUT UP!" I screamed. This resulted in immediate silence from all sides...except the bloody door. I knelt down and peered through the mail slot, coming into visual contact with Ash's knees. "I thought I told you 

where to go. And I do believe it was away" I sneered through the mail slot. I wasn't opening the door again. I couldn't face him without losing it.

"Misty, can't we at least talk?" Ash asked, kneeling down to meet my narrowed eyes at the mail slot.

"It seems every time we talk it ends up a disaster, so no thank you" I said with sarcastic politeness.

"Please? I don't wanna talk to you through mail slots for the rest of my life" Ash said.

"You won't have to worry about that, Ash. Because you'll never see me again after this" I vowed.

"You wanna make a bet on that?" Ash challenged.

"I'm willing to bet anything on that" I swiftly replied. "In fact, if I were you, I'd be betting that stupid title you love so much. That's how confident I am."

"Well I'll have to prove you wrong then" Ash said non-chalantly.

"How do you propose to do that?" I asked.

"It'll be easy" Ash proclaimed.

I laughed bitterly. "Good luck to you, Ash. You're gonna need a truckload of it." I angrily snapped the mail slot closed just as Lily started up again. A minute's peace and I had wasted it on Ash. What an idiot I was.

"Where's my drink, Misty?" Lily feebly demanded.

"It'll be up your ass in a minute if you don't shut up!" I shouted. Again, silence occupied the house. At the time, I was enjoying the little position of superiority I had found myself in. But poor Lily. It wasn't her fault Ash had shown up and transformed my mood from impatient to all-out bad tempered.

I angrily stomped over to the half-full mug, topped it up, and delivered the goods to my terribly hung over sister.

"You don't have to be so rude, you know" Lily whispered. She was obviously referring to my last little outburst.

"Sorry sis, but it seems to be the only way I can get my way round here. Look, I'm being your slave for the day, isn't that enough?" I asked in exasperation.

Lily stared at me dumbfoundly and I concluded that my point had reached her. I turned to leave but then found myself screaming as Ash's face dominated my vision. So that's why Lily had looked so dumbfounded. Surely it wasn't every day her sister's ex-boyfriend walked into her room...

Well, with those three you never knew.

"Get out of my house!" I yelled, sounding like a distraught housewife. Who's house? I certainly hadn't paid for it.

"Make me" Ash replied, aloofness radiating from him.

"I'll have you arrested for trespassing!" I threatened in emptiness. Of course, I wasn't actually going to call the cops on him. Not unless he threatened me somehow.

Ash glared at me and for the first time since seeing him the previous night, I saw anger in his eyes.

"Where did your reasonable nature go, Mist?" he asked, sounding almost sad through his anger.

"I dunno Ash, maybe it went when you extinguished my self-esteem" I said sarcastically.

Suddenly the slight sadness I had witnessed before evaporated as Ash grabbed my shoulders and shook me. Hard.

"Godammit, Misty! Can't you hear me out?"

I couldn't think, I couldn't react. It was so sudden, watching the world somehow blur past me.

He relentlessly shook me, but he finally let go when he noticed two tears silently falling down my cheeks. I wasn't hurt, not physically anyway. But I had never seen Ash so angry. I collapsed on Lily's bed, Lily herself totally bewildered by the scene, and avoided his now sympathetic and apologetic stare.

"Give it up, Ash. Get the hell out of here" I spat out, venom seeping through my words.

"Misty, please...I'm sorry I did that...you're just so frustrating" Ash apologised. My rage turned to disbelief when I caught him smiling. He was smiling! What the hell was there to smile about?!

I felt Lily tug at my sleeve and turned to face her. She was grinning like she'd discovered her weight in platinum. No sign of a hangover there.

"Talk to him" she whispered.

"What? Why?" I asked in astonishment.

"Because he still loves you" Lily whispered hurriedly. "I can tell!"

"You can tell shit" I hissed. I turned back to Ash and decided I'd take her advice anyway. Somewhere underneath my tough soap-opera exterior, a part of me was curious.

"If I talk to you for five minutes will you leave me the hell alone?" I asked viciously.

His smile got wider. "That's all I need."

I reluctantly stood up and showed him toward my room, where I swiftly closed and locked the door. Hangovers or not, my sisters would have somehow found the strength to eavesdrop, so I had to protect myself as much as possible.

"Alright Ash. What's on your mind?" I said matter-of-factly. I was barely being civil, but this was about my patience limit with him.

Ash slumped down on my bed and eyed me carefully. "Would you believe me if I told you that I missed you?" he asked.

"No, I wouldn't" I replied sharply.

"I didn't think so" Ash smiled.

"So what's your bloody point, Ash? You missed me, boo-hoo. All of this could've been avoided if you hadn't been so selfish" I pointed out.

"But I told you, it wasn't me! It was..."

"I know, it was the League. I'm not gonna repeat what I said last night because you know damn well what I said." I shook my head in frustration. "You have to give it up, Ash. I've lost all trust in you...in fact, I've 

practically lost trust in people in general. What makes you think you can win me back now?"

I think that was the biggest question on my mind and I needed to know the answer straight away. Surely he hadn't expected to steamroll me with flattery and think all's well that ends well?

Jerk.

"I know you're pretty mad at me" Ash started slowly, totally understating my feelings in the process. _Pretty_ mad? God... "And I don't blame you. But you forget, Misty. Before we started going out, we were friends. Best friends. I know things can never be the same between us, but can we at least try and get back on half friendly terms?"

"Why?" I asked, annoyed. "What's the point?"

"Neither of us will get hurt that way" Ash explained. "Don't you remember the fun we had? The adventures, the excursions, the nights we stayed up talking till all hours..."

"I honestly hope you didn't come here for a trip down memory lane" I interrupted. "The last thing I want to hear is your nostalgic crap."

"Please, Mist! Just think to back then! It was so great!" Ash said desperately. I have to admit I was slightly impressed. He was really trying to get through to me.

"That was then. This is now. This is 2 years after you emotionally crippled me when it wasn't even necessary to do so. What kind of boyfriend, or friend even, is that?" I said softly. I owed it to my head-throbbing sisters to keep my tone down. I hadn't heard them outside my door.

Ash hesitated. "Can't we just go do something fun? Can I shout you lunch or a movie or something?" he asked.

"No! You can't buy forgiveness!" I exclaimed.

"What the hell do I do to make you at least consider being my friend again?" Ash asked in obvious frustration. And then, for more than a moment, I felt an inkling of sympathy towards him. If I was in his shoes, this wouldn't have been much fun.

I slowly walked over to the bed and sat down beside him. Despite the minute amount of sympathy that had crossed my path, I was still hoping this would hurt him. Nothing had changed what he had done, nothing ever would, and it most certainly didn't change my views on how I wanted to treat - or should I say hurt - him.

"You have to let it go, Ash" I said severely. "Let me go. I'm not coming back."

"Even as a friend?" Ash asked. Dear God, his eyes were watering over! At this vision, a word came into my head...

Maybe. Maybe, just maybe, we could recover a tiny part of the ground we had lost. After all, he was right, we had been great friends.

"I dunno. Could you let me think a bit? I have a lot to sort out" I explained. Yeah, I had to weigh up the pros and cons of me and Ash's potential re-friendship.

Sigh. Happy summer vacation, Misty Waterflower.

Ash grinned and panic clutched at my heart. What was with the sudden mood swings? He had gone from being dangerously violent to on the verge of tears to the happy go lucky boy in front of me in the space of 5 minutes! This was not normal.

"I have to say Misty, that's better than you yelling in my face" he laughed. He was laughing at my expense! He had absolutely no idea how life was supposed to run when it came to manners. I mean, it was bad enough that he stomped and spat on my heart, he didn't have to laugh at the aftermath of it!

"You brought the yelling upon yourself" I said coldly. Ash looked taken aback. Surely he hadn't expected me to forgive him that hastily! I sighed. "Look, just go. I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you" I said as I stood up.

Ash's face fell but he stood up anyway. "If you do decide to hate me forever, I just want you to know that I am so lucky to know you. I won't be forgetting you easily."

Wow. That was pretty heavy stuff, coming from Ash. It didn't soften me though. "I won't forget you either, though it'll be for all the wrong reasons" I told him as I unlocked the door. I swung it open and pointed to 

the general exiting direction. "You can leave now" I said in a monotone.

"I'm in bach 25, okay?" Ash informed me. I couldn't reply, so I just stared at the ground as he left. After I heard the front door slam I flung myself on my bed, questions invading the breathing space in my mind. Could Ash and I ever be friends again? Was I crazy for even thinking of seeing him in a civil manner?

I stood up again and walked towards the lounge, passing my sisters rooms. Daisy and Violet's rooms were vacant, but Lily's door was slightly ajar and voices could now clearly be heard.

"God, I wonder what they're talking about" Violet said gravely.

"No, like, yelling or anything yet" Daisy noted.

"That's cos Ash is still totally into our baby sister!" Lily squealed.

"Ow, don't squeal Lily" Daisy complained.

"But how could he? Didn't you say he shook her or something?" Violet asked.

"He's just frustrated" Lily said non-chalantly. "She's being way too harsh on the poor guy. He wouldn't come back to her if he didn't love her. And he looked so upset when she was being a little bitch to him."

She called me a bitch! The nerve of her! I had a good mind to go and physically make her pay for her remarks.

"You forget Lily, he totally destroyed her. Mom didn't make her come here for nothing" Violet pointed out.

I stayed put. Lily's punishment would have to wait. I wanted to hear the rest of this.

"Well then doesn't that prove that she really loved him? She wouldn't be that upset over just anyone" Lily argued. For the first time in her life, she had a point. The anger I had felt towards Ash was really a shield from the sadness I felt at losing the one guy I ever loved, I realised. As I said earlier, the previous night was the first time I had cried since he'd left me.

Point taken.

Things went quiet in the room before Daisy spoke up. "I think you're right, Lily. Since Ash came back, it sounds like he really wants Misty back. It's just...I wonder if she's as eager."

"Of course she is!" Lily exclaimed. "She won't admit it. She never admits to anything. But I know she at least wants to talk to him. If she was truly that angry at him curiosity wouldn't come into the picture."

It was at this point that Lily and Daisy both turned on Violet at the same time. "What do you think?" they demanded simultaneously.

There was a brief pause before Violet replied. "I suppose you've got a point" she sighed.

"So you're gonna help me get them back together, right?" Lily asked hopefully.

"Oooh, count me in, it'll be fun!" Daisy cooed.

Okay, no thank you, this was not happening. They could babble on and spurt out their opinions all they liked but there was no way they were intervening. I walked into the room with fists of thunder, ready to 

introduce them to Lily.

"Okay guys, this is not a cheesy family movie. You are gonna stay away from me and Ash because whatever happens between us will happen because of us, not you. Keep your distance and so will my fists" I threatened.

My sisters eyes went wide but they hardly looked scared. I couldn't blame them. When my life was in shambles, threats were not my best trait.

"What happened?" Violet asked excitedly.

I sighed. "I don't know" I whispered.

"How can you not know?!" Lily shrieked.

"Keep your voice down, please Lily" Daisy pleaded.

"I don't know because there's so many things to think about. Sometimes I wonder if he's being serious and then I worry that this is some kind of setup" I confessed.

"Misty, you've gotta live for the now" Violet advised.

"Yeah, Ash could die tomorrow and then how would you feel?" Daisy added. "Stop being scared and give him the benefit of the doubt."

I sat there and seriously considered her words. Why? Because they were true. If Ash did die or something the regrets I held now would double.

"Oh, and he loves you" Lily said mischievously.

"Shut up, he doesn't" I muttered.

"Hey, I may be hung over, but I'm not stupid. Even I know he's not brave enough to do something unless he really wants it" Lily explained.

"Arghh, stop it, you're not helping!" I yelled, walking out of the room amidst the pleads of my sisters to be quiet.

So I was now going to spend a beautiful, party-free afternoon thinking about a guy I thought I hated. Drudging up regrets and emotions I thought I had buried in the depths of my mind ages ago. No such luck.

Plopping onto the couch, I sighed for about the 20th time that day and commenced my pondering session.

A/N: Okay, things are sorta starting to kick off now. This fic goes up and down a lot, I guess you'll see that in future chapters. Anyways, thanks for the reviews so far, please keep them coming if you can and more chapters are coming! Hurrah! And by the way, I'm sorry about some of the weird paragraphing in this fic. My computer mucks it up when I save it as an HTML file, so bear with me, I'll try and find a way to fix it.


	4. Harbouring a Secret

DISCLAIMER: I can't believe I have to say this…do you honestly think a 17-year old Kiwi owns Pokémon? If so, I think you need help, lol.

A/N: Here we are at chapter three, woohoo! There are times when I am amazed I'm even posting this story, it's taken me ages to write and I've been on and off about actually finishing it. But I have finished it and I am posting it, so just…I'll stop rambling and let you read, sorry!

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Chapter three - Harbouring a Secret.

The sun was shining through the slight slit in the curtains, conveniently beaming right on my tightly shut eyes. But that wasn't what woke me up. It was the consistent ringing of the phone.

"Coming" I groaned, slowly pulling myself out of bed. My sisters obviously weren't home - if they had been the phone would've been answered halfway through the first ring.

"Hello?" I yawned.

"Misty, you haven't been out the past 4 days! I'm worried about you! I mean, I didn't call before because I saw you crying, but now I'm scared, is everything okay?"

I sighed and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. Trust Mom to call on Judgment Day. It had been 4 days since Ash's little visit and since then, no, I hadn't been out. I'd been thinking. And today had to be the day...

"It's okay Mom, I'll go out tonight" I falsely promised. By the time the day was through, I knew I'd be too exhausted to do anything.

"Now Misty, I know what that voice means. You're trying to get off easy, aren't you?" Mom said with obvious teasing in her tone.

"No Mom" I said wearily. "I'll go out tonight."

"Where are your sisters?" Mom suddenly asked.

"I dunno" I shrugged. "I suspect they've woken up next to some guy they don't even know thanks to the extraordinary amounts of alcohol involved in last night's activities."

"Misty!" my mother said sharply. "How dare you accuse your sisters of that!"

I cringed. Favouritism. It's lethal, but it runs rampant in our family. Unfortunately, I'm always on the wrong side of it.

"So why were you crying? What happened?" Mom nosily inquired again.

"It's really none of your business" I replied.

"Misty, I'm your mother -"

"Aren't I the lucky one?" I interrupted sarcastically.

"Don't take that tone with me, young lady! I've been very good to you since you've come home, allegedly scarred for life by that Ash boy" Mom said.

That was when I lost it. Mom had hardly been good to me since I came home. She'd been forceful, demanding and totally unsympathetic, if you didn't already figure that out.

"Oh bite me, Mom! Ever since I came home all you've done is force me out, watch me like a hawk, convince me that there is life after Ash and all this shit!" I yelled. Oops. That wasn't the right thing to say. But my anger was overriding my common sense.

"Misty Waterflower, you watch your language! I can't believe you would speak to your own mother like that!" she exclaimed.

"I can't believe how you took my story as a joke when I came home! If it had been Daisy or Lily or Violet then all the tissues and sympathy flowers would be out. Not the teasing and the forcing and the video 

cameras!" I shouted.

"You should just be lucky we took you in at all. Your father was so disappointed you gave up Pokémon training just because you had your first failed so-called relationship. Did you honestly think you loved that boy? At thirteen?" Mom asked.

"I DID LOVE HIM, MOM!" I screamed, refusing to let my tears fall. "I fell in love! I was happy! Get over it!" With that I slammed the phone down, the chinging clunk reverberating around the lounge. Without a second thought, I picked it up again and dialed a number I had been too apprehensive to call before. It was amazing what anger had done to me in the past couple of days. It had given me a weird kind of confidence.

Hey, I wasn't complaining.

The phone on the other end rang. And rang. And rang and rang and...you're getting my drift. But I refused to admit defeat. Even the nervousness I was sure would be dominating me when I made this call was subsiding thanks to my increasing anger.

The dial tone sounded about 12 times before he finally picked up.

"Morning." Ash sounded sleepy, which wasn't unusual. It was 8:30 in the morning, and by his standards that's pretty damn early.

"Ash, I can't think through this any longer. When and where can you meet me?" I asked.

"Misty? Are you serious?" The shock in his voice was no surprise to me but still sent jolts of anger throughout my ravaged system.

"Of course I'm serious!" I snapped. "So when and where?"

"I dunno Mist, I only just woke up, could you give me a minute to get dressed?" Ash inquired.

Oh yeah, I was still in my pajamas. "Can you make it to the pier in 20 minutes?"

"Sure thing" Ash said uncertainly. "Misty, why are you suddenly so eager to see me?"

"I'll answer your halfwit questions when I see you. In the meantime, move it to the pier" I commanded. I didn't say goodbye before I put the phone down and then swiftly unhooked it. No doubt Mom would be furiously calling right about now, and I just couldn't deal with both her and Ash on the same day. So she could listen to the engaged tone rather than her deranged youngest daughter.

So after the world's quickest shower and an even quicker decision on what to wear, my feet started doing battle with my brain as I walked to the pier.

Brain - you know, he might just repeat the whole scenario from two years ago.

Feet - shut up and let her walk!

Brain - she must be so stupid, going back to a guy who trashed her completely.

Feet - we're not stopping, you know. No matter how much you insult her you can't make us stop.

And on and on until I reached the recently completed pier. Washbay Beach was gorgeous during the day, when the teenagers retreated to their beds after a hard night's partying. Now people were fishing, swimming, rollerblading and quietly strolling along.

I made it to the end of the pier and saw the spiky black hair I knew so well. Can you imagine how disgusted I was when I found myself smiling? I almost literally slapped myself but thought better of it. Talking to Ash 

with a hand imprint on my face would not be a good look.

Instead I put on my neutral face and slowly walked towards him. He was barefoot, his feet dangling precariously over the edge with his back to me. Before I knew what was happening, I was sitting beside him, legs also swinging over the side.

"Hi" I said simply.

Ash turned to face me and gave me a broad smile. "Hi Misty. So what's turned you round?" He was not one to beat around the bush.

I looked out to the sea, a lake of glass that was harshly reflecting the sun's rays. "I don't think anything's turned just yet" I said cautiously.

"Well something must have happened to make you sit here beside me and talk to me as if I were a normal citizen" Ash replied.

I sighed. "Mom called this morning" I started.

Ash paused. "And...?"

"To make a long story short, she's been spying on me and wanted to know what made me so upset the other night" I explained.

"You were upset? Tough, controlling Misty actually felt emotions other than anger?" Ash teased.

"Don't start, Ash" I said flatly. "I'm not in the best state of mind right now."

Ash backed down. "Fair enough. So what's wrong with a caring mother inquiring about her daughter?"

"That's the thing. She doesn't care. She just wants me to be out there, supposedly enjoying myself, getting amongst people. She didn't worry about the fact that I was bawling for 2 hours in an empty house, no sir" I said bitterly.

"Why would she want you out there?" Ash asked.

"You have no idea, do you Ash?" I said with a short and bitter laugh. "You destroyed me so bad that I didn't go out properly for two years."

"You told me that" Ash pointed out.

"And what, do you think that's normal or something?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

"No" Ash said, shaking his head. He sighed heavily and looked me straight in my eyes. "I didn't think I would upset you that badly. It killed me to do it to you, but I thought you wouldn't care."

I was, honestly, shocked. "Why did you think that?"

"Because I didn't think you were taking the whole relationship as seriously as I was. Like I said, Mist...I was falling in love with you." Ash repeated the words he had told me four nights ago.

"You know, I do vaguely remember you saying that" I said softly. "But of course I was taking it seriously! Mom has this crazy idea that because we were only thirteen that it didn't mean anything, but Ash..." I trailed off. This could get soppy if I wasn't careful.

"What?" Ash raised an eyebrow expectedly.

"Alright, fine, I was in love with you. Okay? Are you happy? I was so in love with you that when you dumped me I was so emotionally distraught that I went home, practically locked myself in my room and became a little shit towards my mother" I blurted out in a flurry. "And now she calls, expecting me to be a duplicate of one of my sisters, and you show up, expecting me to fling myself into your arms like nothing's happened..."

"Misty, Misty, slow down!" Ash exclaimed. "I haven't expected anything from you! I've only just come to realise how badly I hurt you, and God, I can't describe to you the incredible amount of remorse and regrets I have following that."

There was an eerie silence as I caught my breath and let his words sink in. He actually sounded genuine. This was a huge improvement from when he had flatly announced his desire to never lay eyes on me again.

"Misty?" Ash asked softly. "Are you okay?"

I shook my head. "I'm just thinking" I said vaguely.

"I figured" Ash grinned. He ran a hand through his already mussed up hair. "Is it safe to ask you if you wanna grab some nachos or something? You woke me up and got me started so early I haven't had time to eat."

Was it safe? Hmmm. "For now, I suppose it's a little safer" I said sheepishly. "But I want you to know, before you dive into anything stupid, that you haven't redeemed yourself. Comprendo?"

"I know Misty, I know. And I'm not diving into anything, except maybe the chance to get to know you again" Ash said. He stood up and extended his hand towards mine. "Come on, nachos or what?"

I feebly smiled, still not feeling completely at ease with him yet. "Too hot for nachos" I concluded, accepting his outstretched hand. "But an ice block would be nice."

"Man you're boring. You haven't changed in food tastes anyways." Ash rolled his eyes but he was smiling. I dunno what it was about that particular smile, but I seemed to sort of reflect it.

Okay, stop throwing tomatoes already! I was NOT falling for him! Don't think I'm that stupid! My brain was frequently reminding me that this was the very same guy who had sliced and diced my soul only two years ago. Do you honestly think I would be crazy enough to let the stuff I felt two years ago come crawling back so quickly?

I was smiling. Big woop. For one thing, remember, I was getting a free ice block. Who wouldn't smile at the prospect of that on a 90 degree day?

We walked along the boardwalk, keeping conversation to a minimum, which would usually have suited me fine. But something came sneaking towards me, something I desperately tried to evade from my system.

Curiosity.

What the hell had happened with Ash and Giselle? If the League so desperately wanted him to be seen with someone respectable, why hadn't they flipped when they called it quits? Had they really called it quits? Did the League even care? Had Ash fabricated his story so he didn't look like the bad guy?

Personally, I was inclined to say yes to the last question. Guilt can do crazy things to people, and surely Ash was no exception. But then if that was the truth of it all, why couldn't he just tell me straight out why he 

had left me?

We had been walking for about a minute before Ash was stopped by some idolistic Pokémon fanatic who was dying for an autograph. I watched in fascination as Ash calmly accepted the kid's praise and almost automatically signed a cap.

The kid left and Ash turned to me, looking bored. "You know, sometimes I wish they'd leave me alone" he confessed.

"Well you had to expect it" I said sensibly. "Being the youngest Pokémon Master ever has to bring in a few admirers, don't you think?"

Ash shrugged. "Yeah, but..." He stopped himself and almost instantly turned on that smile again. "So what did you want? A Popsicle or something?"

I stared at him in bewilderment. Curiosity strikes again, I thought warily. Why did he stop himself? What was he keeping from me? I nodded slowly and we resumed walking.

"Ash..." I said cautiously. "What happened with you and Giselle?" I was remembering the odd look that had come on his face four nights ago when he had told me it never went anywhere.

He literally stopped walking and I noticed his face was slowly but undeniably losing colour. As in, he was going pale.

"Well..." He sighed and looked towards the water again. "It was complicated" he said simply. There was an awkward pause as I tried to analyse his words. Complicated? What did that mean...?

He turned to me with another broad smile, as if nothing had happened. "I'll shout you this time."

"This time?!" I asked through a laugh. Feeling a little more light-hearted, I added "You'll owe me a lot more than just this, you know."

"So I'll get the opportunity to owe you more?" Ash asked hesitantly. We continued walking but I could feel my throat almost closing up. Yikes. How to answer a question when I was unsure of the answer was beyond me.

"Um, well..." I stuttered. Ash raised an eyebrow, expecting an answer, and I wearily put my hands up to my forehead. "Heard the saying good things take time?" I asked. Ash nodded in response and I continued. "Well, if you take your time it might turn out better than either of us thought it ever would" I said.

Ash knitted his brows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not gonna go leaping into your friendship pool right away, you know that, I've told you that a million times over. But if you let it flow gradually then, who knows, I might even consider seeing you again after 

this" I explained with a wry smile.

Ash beamed back at me. "So if I asked to meet you tomorrow would you say yes?"

Woah, he was hasty. I thought I just told him the whole time thing. Sigh. "I dunno. That's not giving it a lot of time, is it?"

He looked sheepishly at the ground and, finally, I must've got my point through. "I guess not" he mumbled.

"A week maybe" I shrugged. "Whatever. Just not tomorrow! I've got enough to deal with right now" I said with a shudder, remembering the little 'discussion' I had had with my mother.

"Okay, that's cool" Ash replied. Two minutes later I was gratefully sucking on a popsicle and he was munching on nachos, and I began to get the dreaded familiarity of two years ago. We would often get food items such as the ones we were consuming now, and sit in happy silence as we were doing now.

Oops. Had I let myself get in too deep already? Nah. We were only eating. I could eat with anyone, especially if they shouted me.

I finished off the iceblock and chucked the stick into a nearby rubbish bin. "Well, I'd better be going. I have no idea when my sisters are getting home and they'll be pissed if they know I'm having fun and not a hangover" I grinned.

Ash smiled back and stood up with me. "So I'll drop by some time?" he asked hopefully.

I raised an eyebrow. "Remember what I said. You haven't wiped the slate clean. Buying me an iceblock won't see to that."

Ash shrugged. "Yeah. I'll see you later." I weakly smiled back, feeling my head spin, and watched him walk off in the opposite direction of where my bach was situated. Maybe I had gone too far. Given him too much hope or something. There was not one point in that meeting where I didn't feel anger. Even if it slightly, SLIGHTLY subsided, it was still there.

With what must've been my two hundredth sigh, I dragged my feet back to the bach, my head now a solar system of thoughts. I knew that solar system would be in orbit for a while. A black expanse pricked with fast moving objects centered around one thing. The objects were my thoughts. My thoughts were centered around Ash. And I didn't have the sense to figure out half of what I was even thinking.

A/N: Well yeeha! LOL, sorry, that was random. Anyways, thanks for sticking it out so far (if you haven't left in a tranced state of boredom) and more will be here soon. IT GETS BETTER! I swear it does, would I lie to you? Haha, see ya soon peeps, and thanks so much for the reviews! 


	5. My Heartbreaker, My Saviour

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon.

A/N: This chapter is sorta exciting…I mean, more exciting things have happened, but eek, drama baby! They don't call me Drama Queen at school for nothing! ^_^ And by the way, I'm sorry these chapters are going up kinda quickly, but I've said this before, wanna get it up before my holiday. THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEWS!!! Wow, they're so cool! YOU'RE so cool! I'll let you read now!

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Chapter four - My Heartbreaker, My Saviour.

"Bye Mom." I wearily hung up the phone, not waiting for what I knew would be her half-hearted response. She'd been on the rounds, checking up as per usual to ask why I was slacking when it came to my social life. And quite frankly, I didn't care. She couldn't do anything to me when she was 200 miles away.

"Misty, are you, like, done with the phone?" Violet asked from her position on the couch.

"Like, totally" I replied sarcastically.

Violet sent what I think was supposed to be a lethal glare in my direction and grabbed the cordless phone off me. I vaguely heard her chatting to her friend as I absorbed myself in the TV. Not healthy, I know, but it was all I could do to stop myself going crazy.

It was raining. At Washbay Beach in the middle of July. Wrong? Just slightly. So swimming, walking and generally spending any time outdoors was all out. It had been eight days since I had seen Ash, but that didn't mean to say that because he had been vacant from my vision that he was vacant from my mind...

Hey wait! Swimming! It's best in the rain!

I smiled at my genius and ran towards my room, causing Violet to glance strangely at me for a microsecond. The rain made the water warmer and slightly more choppy. But all the more thrills.

So I was finally getting to try out my new bathing suit. A baby blue one piece with white hawaiian flowers. Okay okay, so it lacked originality from what everyone else was wearing, but who would see me swimming in the middle of a downpour?

"Lily, I'm going swimming!" I yelled from my room, grabbing a towel and heading for the front door.

Lily hesitated before she finally yelled back, "Whatever!" Phew. That was confirmation in her language.

At least there was no wind. Wind was a cold blanket I preferred not to be wrapped in. But the rain was actually nice, soothing on my sunburnt skin. A lot of people would call me crazy, as I'm sure my sisters were doing now, but I didn't care.

With a somewhat immature and childish squeal I ran toward the water, discarding my towel on the uppermost part of the beach, keeping it dry by sheltering it in a plastic bag.

The water, as I had suspected it to be, was warm and inviting. The waves were rougher than I expected them to be, but I was used to it. I had been brought up in a water gym, of course I knew how to handle it...

Oh God. I wish I wasn't so goddamn naïve.

After much frolicking and pleasurable head dunks, I ended up lying on my back in happy exhaustion. I hadn't been submerged in water by myself in such a long time. I was always usually with my sisters practicing some stupid water show.

Loneliness isn't healthy, I know. But today I needed it. You've gotta understand, I'm not an extravert at heart - Ash had seen to that. I need time to myself. And spending over a week cooped up in the same house as my sisters was enough to drive anyone out of there as quick as they could.

I had been lying there for about, oh, I dunno, three minutes or so. The waves lapping against my body were the sweetest sound and feeling I had experienced in a long time, and I savoured as much of it as I could. But I knew I had to be heading back. I dunno why, but something was telling me I had to go back. No doubt my sisters could hardly survive by themselves.

With a heavy sigh I hoisted myself up, expecting to feel the swirl of sand around my legs as my feet disrupted the stationary layers of it. But slight panic clutched my heart as my legs felt nothing. No sand, no surface of any kind to stand on.

"Shit" I muttered. So maybe I had drifted out furthur than I should have, but no problem. I'm a strong swimmer and swimming in deep ocean waters was no different to swimming in the deep end of the pool back home. The most important thing was just not to panic and to keep my head above the water.

I could feel the rip surrounding me, willing to drag me under so I could struggle for my life, but I wouldn't let it. I never bowed down to anything, even if mother nature was at the helm. The ocean was no exception.

So why on earth was my energy so rapidly draining out of me? Why did I suddenly feel the need to just stop treading water so desperately and close my eyes in sleep?

But even if energy wasn't there, common sense was. By now I had sussed out that yes, I was in a bit more trouble then I could physically handle. I knew I couldn't close my eyes, even if my eyelids felt like they resembled bricks. I couldn't close them.

Still treading the surging water, I vaguely noticed the rain was coming down harder then it had when I had first come out here. Great, just what the fates would do to me at a time like this. You'd think they'd cut me a break after the whole Ash thing, and being forced here by a deranged mother.

"Come on Misty, come on..." My voice was willing me to go on, but my legs were protesting. I didn't have time to be shocked or annoyed at myself before my legs finally stopped moving altogether. I just lay on my back again, thinking the rip would carry me back out to the shore.

Hey, in panicking times people don't think straight, okay?

I had gotten myself into a very bad situation very quickly, and there was no one around to help me at all. My sisters were safely inside, and everyone else was sane enough to stay away from the beach during weather like this.

As these thoughts lurked in my mind, I disgustedly felt tears on my face mingling with the pouring rain. Stop crying, you big baby! But I couldn't stop. I was going to die. The girl who's supposed to be a water pokémon trainer and gym leader is going to drown. The irony of the situation was getting to me badly. How pathetic for someone who loves water and water pokémon to drown.

The last thing I remember thinking was something most people drowning wouldn't even consider. But that was me for you.

Apparently before you drown it's supposed to be very beautiful. What an upside.

My thoughts quickly vanished as my head submerged under the water for what I was certain would be the last time. Then there was nothing but a visual whiteout.

*******

I could've sworn my life was flashing before my eyes when I felt someone's lips on mine. With a spluttering cough I found myself opening my eyes and looking straight into the apparently concerned face of Ash Ketchum. Yup, I was definitely dead now. If Ash was kissing me I must've had my life flashing before my eyes.

"Misty? Oh my god, you're alive!" he exclaimed. He was on his knees to my left but his face was only inches above mine. What the hell was he doing kissing me?

I figured that I was lying down and desperately wanted to get up and run, but I was void of all strength. I stared at him with bewildered eyes, my attempts at a glare failing on me.

"W-what are y-y-you doing?" I stuttered in disbelief. "Am I dead?"

"I just said you were alive" Ash smiled. "Because you are." It was at this point I noticed his hair was dripping with salt water, as were all his clothes, and I put two and two together.

"You...you saved me?" I asked weakly.

"Well..." Ash paused. "If you wanna call it that, sure. I saw you out there and it was pretty obvious you were struggling. What were you doing swimming in weather like this?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Swimming's best in the rain" I explained softly.

Ash laughed. "Right, that's why you nearly drowned. S'pose that lifesaving course last year did come in handy after all."

I slowly sat up, coughing all the way and clutching at my chest. It felt too tight to be normal.

"Hey Mist, take it easy, your lungs won't be strong yet" Ash cautioned. I eyed him carefully. Through the never ending rain I could see that he was genuinly worried about me. But why should he be? We were barely on friendly terms.

"Why were you...why did you..." I trailed off, leaving my questions incomplete and impossible to answer.

"You weren't breathing when I brought you back up here. I had to give you mouth to mouth to get you going again" Ash explained with a small smile. It could've been the rain, it could've been my distorted mind, but I couldn't ignore the fact that I thought I had just seen tears in Ash's eyes.

Ash never cried, or even came close to it. And if he did I never heard about it. There were a couple of times when his pokémon were in danger, sure, that was understandable. They were nearly dead, and he cared about them...

Woah. Hold up. He's doing what he did when one of his pokémon, the things he cared about most in the world, nearly died. I nearly died and he was on the verge of tears. Did he honestly care about me that much?

"Misty...god, don't ever be that stupid again, please! I thought I'd lost you for good" Ash said, his voice breaking. The words came out crackled, suffocated by emotion, and I started crying myself. What a wimp I was. Crying in front of Ash.

What he did next was comforting through my shock of his actions, but he wrapped an arm around my shoulders as my whole body convulsed due to the sobs. Without even thinking straight I cried into his shoulder. Maybe this was my weird way of thanking him. I could barely talk as it was, and they say that actions speak louder than words.

"It's okay Mist, you're alive now, that's all that matters. I suspect you've learnt a lesson the hard way" Ash said quietly. "Bad way to learn it though."

"A-Ash, I..." Sniff sniff. Sob. "Thank you" I finally whispered. "I'm so d-d-dumb, I should be dead." More sobs. This had to be the most pathetic display I'd ever put on anywhere.

"Don't say that" Ash said firmly. The words hung in the air along with the silence that followed, and it was a minute later that I began to feel half human again as I realised how cold it actually was.

"Ash, I think I should go back" I suggested quietly. He nodded and helped me stand up. I noticed he even had the towel I had been planning to use and that he was now wrapping it around me in an attempt to get my body temperature up a bit.

"Shit, you're so pale...you might wanna go to the doctor or something" Ash advised.

"I'll be alright" I said with a confirming nod. We reached the front porch of my bach and I desperatly wanted to let my weak knees take a break. Even the less than a minute walk to the bach had taken a toll on me and I turned to face his concerned eyes.

"You take it easy, okay? I'll be back to check up on you tomorrow" Ash announced.

"You don't have to do that" I said, leaning against the closed door. "I'll be fine."

Ash raised an eyebrow. "You can't stop me" he said mischeviously. I smiled weakly at him.

"Thank you, Ash. I'll never be able to repay you for what you did today."

"Don't worry about that, just get in there and rest. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See ya, Ash" I farewelled, and gratefully opened the door to meet my sister's shocked faces.

"Was that you...coming back here with Ash?" Lily asked with obvious awe in her tone.

"And why was he soaking wet?" Daisy added.

I shakily sat down on one of the couches and coughed again, bringing up a bit more saltwater. God, I must've swallowed more than I realised.

"Oh my God! You got caught in a rip, didn't you?!" Violet correctly accused.

I nodded. "Ash...he saved me, I nearly drowned" I explained, closing my eyes at the memory.

"Shit, Misty!" Daisy yelled suddenly, causing me to jump slightly in surprise. "Do you know how totally embarrassing that would be if it leaked out to the press? Why don't you, like, think before you do something?" she asked in exasperation.

"Yeah Mist, that's pretty dumb" Violet added.

"Well I'm sorry I'm not as smart and full of common sense as you three" I said sarcastically.

"Guys, give her a break" Lily said, sending me into even more shock. What on earth was she doing going on my side? "She's just been through a huge ordeal, let her rest or something."

I smiled gratefully at Lily and she discreetly winked at me. So discreetly that my other gaping sisters didn't even notice.

"Just rest up and we'll go call Mom. She has to know" Lily said, moving from the couch so I could lie down.

"No!" I shouted. "Please, don't tell Mom. Please." I gave Lily my best puppy eyes but it didn't work.

"Sorry Mist. She'll call tonight wondering why you haven't gone out and what are we gonna say then? She's gonna want to know why" Lily pointed out.

She was right. I had actually been out a couple of times this last week and Mom had told my sisters she was slightly impressed. If I didn't go out she'd get suspicious. Too suspicious. Think the wrong thing. Nearly drowning was not what my mother would think could happen to any of her daughters.

I closed my eyes and heard my sisters walk away, Daisy and Violet muttering to themselves about how unfair it all was. Unfair? They had it easy. They could get away with a night or two in, they could've even got away with nearly drowning if my role had been reversed.

With my thoughts practically cramping my brain into a headache, I felt myself being taken over by sleep, and made no attempt to stop that takeover.

*******

I woke up when someone started shaking my shoulder. I had a fair idea of who it would be. No doubt Violet and Daisy were still sulking at me and I wasn't surprised to open my eyes and be staring at Lily with fuzzy vision.

"Hey" she said softly. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine" I said honestly. "I feel like normal."

Lily smiled. "Cool. Here, made you some hot chocolate." She handed me the steaming mug as I eyed her in confusion.

"Lily...why are you being so nice to me?" I asked quietly.

She sighed and fiddled with the blanket that had been wrapped around me all night as she spoke. "Yesterday when you came home like that, when you said you nearly drowned, it...it really got to me. You know we act like bitches to you most of the time but goddammit, if we ever lost you I don't think any 

of us would ever truly get over it."

I stared at her with wide, shocked eyes. "R-really?" I stammered.

Lily nodded. "We're your sisters, Misty. We love you. Daisy and Violet are using their bad moods as a cover up for compassion, trust me."

I took a sip of the inviting hot chocolate and smiled weakly at my older sister. "Thank you."

"Oh sweetie, you don't have to thank me" Lily said with a laugh. "It's sisterly instincts. We can't help it, even if we wanted to."

It was at this point there was a knock at the door and Lily stood up from her kneeling position. "Better go get that. Dunno who would be calling round here though" she said as she walked towards the door.

I took a huge gulp of the hot chocolate, loving the warm sensation it was spreading through my throat. With a contented sigh I snuggled back into what had been my bed for the night and pulled the covers around me.

"Uh, Misty" Lily started, making my eyes spring open in half-fright, half-curiousness. "You got a visitor."

She didn't need to say that. Ash was standing right in front of me. He only had his hands clasped behind his back for a second before they revealed themselves in front of me, clutching a bunch of tulips.

"Tulips?!" I screeched with delight. "I LOVE tulips!"

"I know" Ash grinned. "Just a little get well soon thingy."

"Ash, how did you remember?" I asked in astonishment.

"I just have a very good memory, that's all" he explained with a laugh.

"Lily, can you put them in a vase?" I asked politely. Lily nodded and, with a broad grin that made me a little nervous, took the tulips off Ash and walked towards the kitchen.

"How are you?" Ash asked, pulling up a small chair next to the couch and sitting down.

I shrugged. "Not bad actually. A bit more weary of the ocean..."

"I should think so" Ash said wisely.

I sighed. "Ash, what are you doing here?" I asked, totally changing the mood in the room. "I told you it would take time before I -"

"I know" Ash cut me short. "But it has been a week since I last saw you. Well, before I last saw you in no danger" he added.

I paused. "Good point" I finally muttered. "Well I'm sorry Ash, but I'm not up to doing anything today."

"I never asked if you wanted to do anything" Ash pointed out. "I came to see how you were feeling."

With a sigh only one word came to my head and escaped my lips. "Thank you" I whispered.

Ash's eyes widened in shock and I couldn't blame him. I was secretly shocked at my own actions. It had only been a week ago that I was screaming at him in nothing but pure rage, and now here we were. Him my lifesaver. Me in eternal gratitude. What the hell was going on?

We sat there in a kind of tranced silence before he stood up with a small smile. "I'd better get going. You need to rest up some more."

Yeah, maybe I did. Maybe my brain had engulfed more salt water than my lungs had.

"Okay" I agreed quietly. "Ash..." I sighed and thought about my words very carefully. "You know I'm forever in your debt for what you did yesterday. But..."

"But you can't forgive me" Ash finished sadly.

I paused. "I don't know" I said honestly. "Look, I'll give you a call or something. The friends thing is still not completely out of the picture."

"Sure thing" Ash smiled. "I'll see you later." And with that he left, shutting the front door behind him and bringing out my sister as he did.

"Ash brought you flowers!" Lily shrieked in excitement. "Like, oh my god, how can you resist him now! He totally saved your life and he obviously likes you..."

"Stop! Please Lily, just shut up" I muttered in exasperation. It was all I had heard from her since Ash had entered the scene and quite frankly I was getting sick of it. What had happened to her kind, concerning mood? She was going back to normal now. Dang. I should've taken more advantage of her nice mood while I could.

"Okay okay" Lily mumbled. "But it's true" she added with a devious grin.

"I don't care" I said firmly. "What did Mom say when you called her last night?" I asked, hastily changing the subject.

"Well..." Lily hesitated. "She, she...god Mist, she almost sounded ashamed" she admitted.

I gulped. That would be the perfect word to describe Mom at the prospect of one of her daughters nearly drowning. Ashamed. I should've known.

"Yeah" I said flatly. It was all I could say. I had no idea how to respond to Lily's news otherwise.

"She wants you out tonight, or tomorrow at the very latest. She's not happy. We've gotta keep this under wraps or the press could have a field day" Lily warned. She was right. Us four Waterflowers were known for our awesome swimming abilities, and to hear that one had nearly drowned would send the paparazzi into a frenzy.

"I know" I agreed. I yawned and snuggled back into my covers. "I think I might hit another hour or so of sleep. Do you mind?"

"Like, not at all, sis. Sleep well" Lily said kindly, and I slowly closed my eyes as I tried to keep my head clear.

A/N: Okay not much to say, just review review, oh please, I will get down on my knees or dance on top of my school roof or whatever! Sorry, that was a bit desperate, do what you like! But yes, anyways, I'll go now and leave you pondering on where this is going…unless it's too predictable…well, I'll only know what you think if you review! Sorry, I'll stop saying that word. Later peeps!


	6. Harmless Fun

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon.

A/N: Well here we are! Chapter five! Well, it's really chapter six counting the prologue but for some reason I don't seem to do that. Um, I should probably be quiet about now. Okay, sorry, haha!

****

Chapter Five - Harmless Fun.

It had been two days since the whole near drowning incident. I was not in Mom's good books, but it had been like that for the most part of the last two years, so that wasn't affecting me at all.

It was Ash. He was doing crazy things to my mind and he probably didn't even realise it. The fact that he had saved my life stuck out like a sore thumb and seemed to be overriding the pain I had felt two years ago and ever since.

But then when I thought of that I kicked myself. I should still be mad at him. He made me the withdrawn weird little girl I am today. One little pull out from the ocean shouldn't redeem that. Still...

I was writing this much in my diary, the only confidante I had, and finished my entry with a yawn. It was 2pm and I was wacked. Me and my sisters had gone out for dinner the previous night and it had actually turned out to be a great time had by all. Even those three had to admit they needed a break from the party scene.

"Yo Misty" Daisy greeted me as she walked into my room.

"Hey" I smiled. Daisy sat next to me and I quickly stuffed the diary under my pillow. She would never be laying her hands on that while I was alive.

"It's amazing" she marveled, shaking her head.

I raised an eyebrow. "What is?" I asked.

"Here you are, reunited with a guy you claim to hate, and yet you're happier than I've seen you these last two years" Daisy said.

"You think?" I asked. Daisy nodded and I shrugged. "Must be the fact that I'm miles away from our mother."

Daisy laughed. "Yeah, she's a bit...I dunno..."

"Pushy, uncompassionate, favourising" I supplied bitterly.

"Well don't worry about her. She's not here. But Ash is. And sweetie, I can totally tell he wants you back" Daisy said with a small smile. But somehow, I could tell she wasn't teasing like Lily usually would. Daisy serious? I know, struck me as odd too.

"Don't, you sound like Lily" I groaned.

"Misty..." Daisy sighed and placed a hand on my shoulder. "He talked to me yesterday."

"What?!" I exclaimed.

"He just wants to be your friend. He knows he hurt you bad, but he says he had no choice. And quite frankly, I believe him. What's so bad about being friends? He saved your life, he's tried so hard to befriend you again" Daisy pointed out.

"What did he say?" I asked accusingly.

"Nothing incriminating" Daisy replied. "I ran into him on the beach yesterday. He looked really down, Misty. Please, just talk to him."

"I already DID talk to him" I said in exasperation. "I told him I needed time!"

"It's been nearly two weeks since that particular talk. Look, if you leave him hanging much longer he might up and go and you'll kick yourself for it for the rest of your life" Daisy said sternly.

I gulped. "Yeah" I muttered. "Maybe you're right."

"Of course I'm right" Daisy grinned. She stood back up. "You know where his bach is. I told him you'd be there some time today."

"You didn't" I said in horror.

"Mmhmm" Daisy nodded. "So you'd better. I'll hafta kill ya if you don't."

"Okay okay, I'm going" I gave in. I needed to talk to him anyway. Despite my protests, I had made a decision with this whole situation. It was inevitable, I couldn't just leave it for the next three months.

I slowly made my way down to Ash's bach, rehearsing what I would say and how I would say it. I must've looked crazy, lumbering along the beach talking to myself and furiously shaking my head every time the wrong thing came out.

With a deep breath, I knocked three times on his door, half praying that he would be out or I had the wrong bach. But no. He answered within five seconds, a smile always on his face.

"Hey, you're up and about" he noticed.

"Good one Sherlock" I replied with a grin. Okay. Out with it Misty, come on. "I wanna be your friend."

Oh god. That went well. Just blurt it right out, don't explain anything, make yourself look like a total ass, he won't care.

"You do?" Ash asked in surprise.

I nodded. "Ash, we were great friends. You were right. And I think we still could be."

"Wow" Ash said with wide eyes. "This is...outta the blue, I guess."

"No it's not, and you know it" I said mischievously. "I know you happened to have a wee chat with one of my sisters yesterday."

"Ah, she told you about that" Ash winced. "It wasn't much, I swear Misty, I just had to -"

"Ash, shut up" I laughed. "It's okay. She pointed out that I could regret this for the rest of my life, so I'm gonna take a chance and be your friend. If that's what you want. And if you dare desert me again I won't be so sympathetic next time."

"So this is sympathy?" Ash asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No!" I exclaimed, cringing at my words. It was coming out wrong. I had no idea what I was saying. Help help help...

Ash slightly giggled at my situation. "Look Mist, I think I hear you. Friends. And nothing more. That's all I've wanted with you."

"Good, cos it's all you're getting" I smiled. Both of us knew I was teasing, but at the same time I was far removed from any joke. Things would not go further than where we were at that point in time.

"So pal" Ash said teasingly and I couldn't help laughing. "You wanna hit a party or something tonight?"

"Not really, but I have to" I sighed.

"What do you mean by that?" Ash asked.

"Mom" I replied simply. "You know, the whole spying thing."

"Oh, right" Ash remembered. "Do I dare ask how that all is? Or should I just butt out altogether?"

"Butt out for your own sake. Anyone who gets near my mom is doing it at their own risk" I said warily. "She's mad at me for nearly drowning." I laughed shortly at the thought. It was almost ironic. Most parents would be scared to death and order their children home at the thought of them nearly drowning, or being in any sort of danger.

"Wow" Ash breathed with wide eyes. "That's hard."

I shrugged. "I'm used to it. So" I decided to swiftly change the subject. "We're going somewhere tonight, by the looks of it."

"Cool. Do you wanna drop by here or do you want me to swing by your place?" Ash asked.

"Do you mind picking me up?" I asked hesitantly. "I want Mom to actually see who I'm going with" I added with a smirk.

"Won't that get you into trouble?" Ash asked with a raised eyebrow and I shook my head.

"She doesn't care. And if she does it's only because she's worried about the Waterflower reputation." I looked at him carefully and suddenly something came over me - awkwardness. Was I really doing this? Was I really arranging to meet the same guy who had nearly emotionally killed me two years ago?

Oh dear God. Someone send me to the psychiatric ward...

"Okay. Well, I'll drop by at 6 or something" Ash shrugged. "Is that okay with you?"

"T-that's fine" I stammered. "I'll see you then." I tried to give him an easy smile but somehow felt I failed, and then turned away, heading back to my bach. I could've ripped Daisy's head off for doing this, for talking to him and promising him I'd be here today, leading up to this. But she had been sympathetic about the whole Mom thing. I owed her.

And I owed Ash. I owed him more than I cared to realise.

*******

My vision was obscured, but that was my own fault. I had my face buried into a cushion on the couch, almost as if I was trying to suffocate myself. Only five minutes till Ash arrived. And out of everything I could've felt - confused, angry, excited, apprehensive - I felt nervous.

NERVOUS?! What was I nervous about? I wasn't marrying the guy for pete's sake. I was going to a party with him. Just like I would with any of my friends back home. Well, if I went to parties back home anyway...

Off topic, sorry. I heard someone walk in but didn't bother lifting my head to see who.

"Like, when is Ash coming by?" I heard Violet ask.

"Five minutes" I mumbled into the pillow. "I'm gonna die. I wanna die. Kill me, please, I'm so stupid..."

"Five minutes?!" Violet shrieked. "And you're wearing that? You can bet you're gonna die" she smirked.

I snapped my head up and glared at her. "Tell me what the hell is wrong with wearing shorts?"

"Oh nothing, except that you wear them every day. How do you expect to snag Ash in that get up?" Violet asked casually.

"What?!" I exclaimed. "I am not snagging anybody, lest of all Ash!" I could've ranted till the sun came up but it was at this moment I heard the doorbell ring and once again buried my head in the pillow. "Tell him I'm not here, tell him I have chicken pox or something, please Violet" I pleaded from my confines.

"No way sis, you volunteered to do this, you do it. Don't worry, we're gonna be there too" Violet reminded me as I stood up.

"And you think that's a good thing?" I muttered under my breath as I walked towards the door. With an attempt at trying to calm myself through a deep breath, I slowly opened the door and witnessed Ash scuffing his shoes on the wooden patio. His hands were jammed in his pockets, but he saw me and quickly took them out.

"Hi Misty" he said easily, smiling as always.

"Hey Ash." I gave him a short grin and turned my head back to the house. "Are you guys ready?" I yelled.

"Yeah yeah, we're coming!" Daisy yelled back. That could mean anything. I held the door wider and stepped aside.

"Come in. Those three could take a while. I saw Violet a minute ago but I dunno if she's ready" I explained. Ash walked through and I closed the door behind him, stealing a quick glance at the camera. Yup, it was on. Mom was gonna get the shock of her life tonight.

"So anywhere in particular you wanna head to tonight?" Ash asked. I shrugged before I replied.

"I don't care. There's not a lot to do round here at night but join the parties. I'm not usually up for that, but it doesn't look like we've got a lot of choice."

To my shock and downright surprise, all three of my sisters emerged as I finished speaking, totally wiping out my thoughts of them taking ages to get ready. They all had grins on their faces as they spotted Ash and I cringed. This could be a very long night.

"Hiiiii Aaaaaash" Lily cooed, dragging out her vowels for longer then was necessary. I couldn't blame Ash for looking scared and I quickly stood up from my position on the couch.

"Right, okay, you all know each other, we can skip the intros and get going" I said hopefully.

"Yup, let's go" Violet agreed. My eyes went wide at her willingness to comply with me, but I shrugged it off and headed for the front door with the other four behind me. The bass dominated music hit my eardrums as soon as I stepped out and I winced. No matter how many times I did this, it never got easier.

The party was in full swing, the crowd being bigger on a Friday night, and spots of the beach were already becoming slightly veiled by discarded alcohol cans.

"Okay Mist, we'll see you back at the house!" Lily shouted. I could've strangled her right then and there in front of the hundreds of other people, even at the very high risk of getting charged with manslaughter or 

something. I grabbed her shirt and hissed into her overly decorated ear.

"You said you'd all stay with me."

"We've just seen some friends from school. You'll be fine, sweetie. If he, like, tries any funny stuff you know what to do" Lily said. "He wouldn't anyways, he loves you remember" she added teasingly.

"Shut the hell up and go" I said louder, now wishing them to leave as quickly as possible. They all waved, Ash waving somewhat politely back and I turned to him with a wry smile. "I am so sorry about them."

"Why? Because they're polite?" Ash asked. I sighed. Still as dense as ever.

"Don't worry" I said distractedly. It took all of two seconds after I said this for the both of us to be shoved into the crowd, and it wasn't like I could do anything about it. Ash just laughed and went with the flow, and I followed him, hoping this wouldn't be a replay of the last time I saw him at a party. For one thing I didn't wanna injure anybody again, and for another I didn't wanna run into somebody I had grown to hate at the same time.

Woah. Hate? Do I hate Ash? The thought randomly sprung to mind and I remembered thinking it the night I came home wailing to myself in the empty house. I looked over at Ash, who was obviously having a great time, dancing and talking, or more likely shouting, to complete strangers. I also couldn't help noticing the small gaggle of girls nearby who had had their eyes on him ever since we arrived.

I shrugged to myself. I didn't hate Ash, but at the same time he wasn't my favourite person in the whole world. He flashed me his trademark smile and I returned it, finally finding myself fitting into the partying scene. A scene I would never have envisioned myself being in two years ago.

Many non-eventful dancing filled hours later, I recall it being about 1 in the morning, I had lost all track of my sisters and Ash and I were slowly walking along the beach back to my bach. We must've been two of the very few people who had walked away from the party sober. But six hours had been enough, I had met a few new people, no one particularly stood out though.

Mom would've been so disappointed.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Ash suddenly asked, his voice being accompanied by the sound of the waves on the beach.

"Sleeping" I groaned. "That was terrible!"

"Don't exaggerate" Ash grinned. "You were having a great time."

"I wouldn't call it great" I argued. "I could think of a million better things to do."

"Oh come on, do you think I didn't see you dancing with that blonde guy on more than one occasion?" Ash teasingly asked, and I reeled in shock.

"He was nothing" I mumbled. His name had fallen on deaf ears, along with everything else he had shouted at me. I don't think he quite picked up on the line where I told him I wasn't interested, as his pursuit had been 

restless and annoying.

"Don't lie" Ash chided. "Spill, tell all."

"I don't remember his name, we danced about three times and I had absolutely no interest in him at all" I said matter of factly. Ash rolled his eyes and I lightly punched his arm with a small laugh. "I think you had a blonde of your own to deal with anyways."

"Oh no, she was -"

"Hanging on your every word?" I teased. Ash quickly shook his head and stared out at the ocean in total silence. His lack of response surprised me and I couldn't help noticing that when he finally did speak, the same odd expression crossed his face as when I had asked him about Giselle.

"She was nothing" he muttered.

"She liked you" I said, pointing out the obvious.

"Well I didn't like her" Ash snapped. That one minor sentance sent my head spinning into a thousand zones of questions and I stared at him in bewilderment. Maybe I shouldn't have even tried being friends with him - who wants a moody friend? - but like Daisy had said, he could leave and I'd regret it forever.

"Ash...what really happened between you and Giselle?" I blurted out. The question had eaten at my mind since I'd first run into him, even more so now at this display.

"I told you, it didn't work out" Ash replied quickly. His pace quickened with his words and I struggled to stay beside him.

"So who dumped who?" I asked.

"There was no dumping" Ash said bluntly.

"Mutual agreement?"

"No."

"Pokémon League?"

"No."

"Public in general not liking your girlfriend?"

"NO!" Ash yelled, halting in his tracks to glare at my stunned eyes. "It just didn't work" he added icily.

"Ohhh, so you stopped returning her calls?" I timidly suggested.

"MISTY!" Ash shouted. Oh how the tables had turned. I was usually the shouter, not the one receiving it. "Look, we stopped going out. Period." He had stopped glaring at me but was staring at the ocean again.

"You're hiding something from me" I accused.

"No I'm not" Ash mumbled.

"Yes you are!" I exclaimed. "Come on, you can tell me. We're friends, remember?" Argh, did I just say that? Us two friends? Those tables turn a lot.

"There's nothing to tell. Look, here's your bach." Ash had changed the subject with great speed, but I had to put it down to good timing. We had arrived at my bach and we both stood on the porch as I fumbled around my pocket for my key. I found it and slowly inserted it in the lock, my eyes not leaving Ash's. What was lurking in the mind I once knew so well?

"One day you're gonna tell me the real deal" I predicted.

"It is the real deal" Ash sighed wearily.

"No, it's not. And if you wanna be my friend, you hafta be able to trust me. You trusted me once. If you can't now, then don't bother seeing me again" I said bluntly. The words were harsher than my usual rantings, but they were all true, and Ash was speechless as I opened the door.

"T-tomorrow?" he finally stuttered out.

"What about tomorrow?" I asked. I noticed him gulp before he spoke.

"I'll meet you somewhere tomorrow."

"No can do, I'm sleeping" I grinned. "Call me in the arvo." Ash nodded and I started closing the door.

"Misty, wait." His voice stopped me and I met his eyes again. A long, awkward silence endured until he finally shook his head. "It's not important. Talk to you tomorrow."

"Goodnight Ash." I smiled and instantly frowned once the door was closed. To say I was confused was an understatement. I had to wonder if he had always acted that strange since I had left, he certainly hadn't when I had been around.

My ears were still ringing from the music of the party, so after locking the door, I stumbled to the confines of my room and thanked God for walls. They're fantastic things. Through a wall no one could see me, hurt me, confuse me...

With a sigh I rummaged under the pillow for my PJs and was in bed a minute later. As sleep overtook me, a question came to mind.

He saved my life, says he wants to be my friend, and my sisters think he loves me. So why can't he trust me with one little break up story?

A/N: All will be revealed in chapter six! Or is that seven…I forget. But anyways, I have to say a massive thank you for alllll the reviews cos they're allll so nice and put me on a huge high. Serious! Thanks so much. More soon!


	7. Confessions and Caution

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon.

A/N: If you're wondering why I put two chapters up at once, it's all Kaz's fault! Well no, she just threatened to spread a nasty rumour about me. It's not that nasty but it would kill me…okay Kaz, here you go, two chapters in a day. And that goes for everyone else too, aren't you all lucky?!

****

Chapter six - Confessions and Caution.

You'd think after the whole going-to-a-party-with-my-ex-who-trashed-me-completley-but-who-I-still-managed-to-be-civil-towards thing I'd be pretty narcissic the next day. But I surprised both myself and 

my sisters by waking up at nine with a smile on my face. I gracefully glided into the kitchen to be greeted with a groan coming from Daisy.

"Good morning, sister dear" I said chirpily.

"Keep me away from the cruisers" Daisy moaned back. I'm sure she didn't mean the car kind of cruisers.

"Uh oh, someone had a bit too much fun last night" I teased.

"Shut uuuuuuuuup Misty" I heard Violet distantly whine. I sighed, deja vu starting to sneak into my system.

"OOOH!" Lily suddenly yelled, snapping her head up and facing me. "How was it with Ash last night?" Suddenly the other two were alive and they too faced me.

"It was..." I trailed off and bit my lip. "It was confusing."

"Confusing? What about romantic, beautiful, fun even?" Violet asked.

"Oh it was fun, the whole two minutes I saw him. But he just...I dunno, started acting really strange when we were going back. He said he'd call today" I added.

"Oh yay! Yay for Misty" Lily squealed. "You are so going places with him."

"Yeah yeah" I muttered. "It's proving hard enough to be his friend at the moment." I had finished speaking when the phone rang, and all three of my sisters leapt for it. Daisy had the distance advantage though, and tried to put on a tone that deceived her hangover as she answered.

"Hello, Daisy Waterflower speaking?" My other two sisters nearly had hernias at her greeting and she was quick to send them a rude one fingered gesture before her eyes suddenly went wide. "Oh, hi Mom."

"Mom?!" Violet exclaimed, at about the same time my brain did. Oh no. She'd be pissed now. First I nearly drowned and then I went out with the guy who sent me home, back to her unsympathetic and hardly outstretched arms.

"Uh, Misty...she wants to talk to you" Daisy muttered. I reluctantly took the phone off her, looked at it for about two seconds, and then pushed the button that cut my mother off from any communication with me.

"Misty!" Lily gasped. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I can't be bothered" I explained, putting the phone off the hook as I had done the other day.

"Well gee Mist, she's gonna love hearing that when you have to explain why you hung up on her" Violet said sarcastically.

"What's wrong with saying there was a storm or something?" I shrugged.

"Uh, because it's the middle of summer" Violet pointed out.

"Look, it's not your problem. Don't you guys have lives of your own to lead?" I asked.

"You try leading a life with a hangover" Lily groaned, flopping back on the couch. Her excitement for the day was obviously over, it was back to being sick. I could only sigh.

"I'm gonna get dressed. Maybe you guys should consider it too" I suggested.

"It's too early" Daisy complained. "Why the hell did we wake up this early anyways?" she suddenly asked.

"Blonde" I muttered.

"Huh?" Daisy burrowed her forehead in confusion and I quickly shook my head.

"N-nothing." The last thing Daisy needs with a hangover is the reminder of her hair colour and the status it gives her. I quickly paced to my room, my mother's phonecall now completely erased from my mind.

I can't say the day was eventful, considering my sisters all had simultaneous hangovers and I had nowhere to go. My love for the ocean had somewhat been diminished thanks to last week's incident, and the heat was 

just the same, if not worse, outside than inside. I was quite content to read on the couch.

I was finally brave enough to put the phone back on the hook at about 8pm and as soon as I did, it rung. I must've been going crazy, the ringing tone sounded more like a warning signal than anything else. With a gulp and some sort of courage seeping into me, I slowly put the phone to my ear.

"Mom, I'm sorry, the phone's been down all day, I think it's all over Washbay, no one can -"

"Misty? Is your caller ID screwing up or something?"

First thought: yeah, like we can afford caller ID. Second thought: crap, it's Ash, and I've just made an idiot of myself in front of him.

"N-no, sorry Ash, I thought Mom would call today" I explained.

"Why? You getting into trouble again? Don't tell me you took another little dip in the ocean?" Ash asked, the teasing in his voice obvious. I slightly laughed at the image, the memory that had once been so fearful to think about.

"No, of course not" I replied. "I kinda hung up on her this morning."

"God Misty, I dunno why you wonder about your mother being so unbearable to live with when you obviously make her life unbearable" Ash said.

"I knew you wouldn't understand" I sighed. "Don't worry about it, my problem, no one else's."

"True. So what you up to now?" Ash asked.

"Reading, as I have done for the rest of the day" I flatly informed him. "Not much of a life, I know."

"Yeah, the day's been pretty lifeless" Ash agreed.

"Well I've never heard of a day being lifeless" I muttered.

Ash laughed. "Sorry, sorry. How does a walk along the beach sound?"

"It actually sounds quite appealing" I confessed. "But I haven't even had any dinner yet or anything, so can you gimme half an hour to get that over with?"

"Sure thing. I'll be over at 8.30" Ash announced.

"Okay, see you then." I hung up the phone, grateful that at least one part of my day was going to be slightly eventful. There was still a bit of daylight left, the sun was only just starting to set, and in summer it took 

its time to head to its bed of ocean.

"Misty, who was on the phone?" Violet asked cautiously as she walked in, Daisy and Lily behind her.

"Ash" I replied simply, standing up and heading towards the kitchen. My sisters followed me, curiosity imprinted all over their faces. I put a bowl of canned spaghetti in the microwave and turned around, surprised to still see them silently standing there. "Uh, you guys okay?" I asked.

"What did he want?" Lily asked immediately, and I shrugged.

"We're going for a walk" I explained.

"Oh" Daisy nodded. There was a silence before she suddenly spoke up again. "Misty, you know you're gonna hafta call Mom."

"I do?" I asked in surprise. "I didn't know that."

"Come on Mist, you can't hide from her forever. She'd be angrier knowing that you're avoiding her" Daisy cautioned. I shrugged as the microwave beeped, signalling that my processed dinner was now ready.

"I will deal with that. Not you. Me myself and I. I thought I told you that earlier" I said in exasperation, taking the bowl out and grabbing a fork.

"You did" Lily agreed. "But we're just worried. For your sake."

"Yeah, sure you are. Chances are you're more worried that Mom's gonna take it out on you three, blame you, punish you...god, that'd be a new experience for you" I said sarcastically, walking past them and sitting down at the table. All three of them were quiet again, and I had to admit curiosity. Something was up with them.

I ate my dinner by myself, grateful that my sisters had now retreated to their individual rooms. Their strange mood had made me slightly uneasy, though I couldn't put my finger on why.

My spaghetti had just been devoured when the doorbell rang and I glanced at my watch. 8.30 on the dot. Ash sure had gotten punctual. I walked over to the door and swung it open, glad for some human contact other than the ones in the bach.

"Hi Ash." I took a glimpse past his shoulder to the outside world and then eyed him again. "Don't think it's getting too late for this walk?"

"Well if you don't wanna go you don't have to, there's still half an hour or so of daylight left" Ash informed me. I smiled and shut the door behind me.

"Cool, let's go." Maybe I seemed a bit too eager, especially skipping down the porch and completely jumping above the steps instead of taking the more conservative approach of walking down them.

"Sheesh, what did you have for dinner?" Ash teasingly asked.

"I've just gotta get away from there. You've got no idea" I groaned.

"So what was the deal with your mom? Why did you hang up on her?" Ash inquired as he caught up to me and we slowly walked near the shore.

"Because I couldn't be bothered dealing with her today" I explained. "She's so...I dunno, impossible to satisfy. I can't do anything right in her books."

"But you went out last night" Ash pointed out.

"True, but I went out with you. You being the reason I came home and ruined her life" I grinned.

"I dunno how you can take all this so lightly" Ash marveled. "Your mom is spying on you, fighting with you, totally rejecting you and scolding you for nearly drowning, and yet you keep smiling."

"I'm not always smiling" I mumbled.

"Yes, I caught on to that when I first ran into you" Ash commented.

"You do understand why I was pissed at you, right?" I asked.

"Duh" Ash rolled his eyes. "Only that I trashed you completely and scarred you for life."

"Something like that" I shrugged.

"I must say though, you've surprised me. I thought you'd never break."

"Break?" I repeated. "Surely you didn't think I would 'break' straight away?"

"No, of course not" Ash said. "But I'd forgotten how tough you are."

"I'm not made of steel, Ash" I sighed. "If anything, you've confirmed that. Look, there are better things to talk about than my past emotional distress -"

"Past?" Ash raised an eyebrow.

"Well...yeah. You trashed me, but you also kinda did the opposite by coming back. I went to a party, and I was put under a huge test when you saved my life, trying to decide whether to trust you or not, so I guess you made me turn a slight corner" I smiled.

"Wow. I think I'm flattered" Ash said.

"Yeah, but don't go forgetting that you're the reason -"

"Or the League's the reason" Ash interrupted.

"Whatever. I still don't believe that, you know" I informed him.

"Well you should. Cos it was very very real" Ash said. Could it just have been me, or was his tone somewhat...sad? A few moments of silence passed as our shadows stretched out behind us, reminding us that the sun was soon to disappear.

"Ash? Are you okay?" I asked.

He nodded quickly and faced me. "I'm fine. It's just..." He stared out at the ocean, like he had done the previous night. "You're not thick, Misty. I know that. You caught on the whole Giselle thing quickly and I guess you should know the truth, if I ever want you to be my friend again."

"So you actually took in my words last night? Nice one" I commented.

"I did. Your words actually kept me up for most of last night. You installed the fear of God in me" Ash slightly laughed.

"Ooh the power of me" I smiled. We were still slowly walking, leaving behind footprints that would tomorrow only be a memory, just like this walk.

"The League is what made me and Giselle come together and it also tore you and me apart in the process, which was not exactly what I wanted. But I wanted the title more than anything...more than you" Ash said reluctantly. I couldn't miss the reluctance in his tone, and I'm not saying that just to be smart. It's true.

"I figured that" I muttered.

"We went out for a year, putting on this act for the public, who thought we were adorable. Two high class pokémon trainers being with each other every second of the day...it was like two really famous movie stars getting together" Ash explained. "The public and the papparazzi hounded us. We couldn't go anywhere without being recognised or getting cameras shoved in our faces. Giselle hated it. She..." He trailed off and another silence ensued.

"Ash?" I gently probed, careful not to force this out. It had become obvious that this was serious, far more serious than I had given credit towards.

"Giselle couldn't have a private life. They dug up all her records from Pokémon Tech, camped outside her house, hassled her and her family, one guy even kidnapped one of her pokémon for a short while. It scared the shit out of her, especially the death threats. There were a lot of those" Ash sighed.

"Death threats?" I whispered.

"Yeah. She got heaps. You know, 'Stay away from Ash or you won't live to see another day' shit like that smeared in blood. That was pretty stupid though, cos the blood could always be tested to see who had sent it" Ash laughed slightly.

"Wow. I didn't know you guys got so much coverage" I said in astonishment. It was the truth. I'd hardly ever seen them on any TV programs or newspapers. Ash pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to me. I recognised it as a newspaper clipping, a picture of Ash with his arm around Giselle's shoulders.

I couldn't help feeling something like nausea in the pit of my stomach. It was the image that had played in my mind for two years, and now here it was, right in front of my face. Not exactly something I wanted to frame.

"That was the last picture that ever got published of me and Giselle. It followed a story about a group of girls that had organised this site over the internet about how much they all hated her" Ash sighed. "She flipped. Came screaming to me about how much she hated the public and hated the press, and I told her that if she was going out with me she had to take it as a part of life."

"Don't you think that was a bit harsh?" I asked.

"No, it was the truth. I'm a Pokémon Master, and with that comes certain downfalls. Being in the public eye is just one of them. You saw that kid the other day, wanting a cap signed...that's nothing compared to what we went through" Ash shook his head as he spoke.

"So...what happened?" I softly inquired.

"The day after that article was published my mom called me from Pallet, while I was at the plateau. She was hysterical, I couldn't get a word out of her, but I picked up something about Giselle. I went over to Giselle's house, thinking that maybe she could tell me what was going on. I reached the front door, and -" Ash cut himself off, biting his lip and staring at the ground.

By now I was dying of curiosity. I know that sounds terrible when Ash was telling me something that had obviously affected him so badly, but he had drawn it out for so long, I just wanted to know what was going on. It was probably another thirty seconds before he spoke again, and his next words chilled me more than anything ever had before.

"Police were swarming her house. She...Giselle had killed herself" Ash said quietly, his sentence coming out in chokes and repressed sobs. I couldn't keep in the gasp that escaped my mouth. I'd never heard of anyone I knew that killed themselves. And to think it was Ash's ex-girlfriend, the one that apparently "didn't work out."

I couldn't find words. Speech had escaped me completely. This was no time for one of my trademark smart ass remarks. This was the most serious thing I had ever stumbled on, and Ash had been brave enough to share it...with me. The girl who had refused to forgive him, who'd yelled and screamed at him without explanation...

Oh dear. I'd dug my own grave. Oh god, even that phrase sounded bad now. I bit my lip but didn't have to speak because Ash broke the tension.

"S-she had hung herself, in her bathroom, with a goddamn tie" he spat out angrily. "And it's all my fucking fault."

Woah. F word. Something I rarely came across, especially with someone like Ash. But it's not like I could really blame him.

"Ash, that...it wasn't your fault" I said gently.

"Yes it was!" Ash yelled. "Everything's my fault! If I wasn't so damn selfish about that title Giselle would still be alive, I'd have a life, I'd still have you for chrissake!" He sat himself down on a bench and buried his 

head in his hands. "She killed herself six months ago. Her parents haven't talked to me since and I can't blame them."

I sat beside him and eyed him severly. "Ash, you listen to me" I said firmly. He didn't even look up, so I put my hands on his cheeks and directed his face so he was staring me right in my eyes. "You bloody well listen. I'm gonna be honest and say the title thing was right. You'd probably still have me -"

"I would?" Ash asked softly.

"Yeah" I nodded. "But Giselle took her own life by her own hand. You did not put the noose around her neck. She did. None of this has to do with you. It was the public." I was still holding his face, staring into his 

pain-englulfed eyes. Those eyes had done so much to me years ago. They'd enticed me, mesmerized me, made me laugh, made me cry. But this was a different situation now. His eyes had aged so many years in such a short space of time.

"It was me..." he whispered.

"No" I said firmly. "No."

"I know it was, Misty! My existence only ruins everything to everyone Iknow, and now since I've got here I've done something stupid. Shows how good I am at trying to escape things" Ash muttered.

"You've done something stupid?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's beyond stupid. It's fatal. If I act on it I can guarantee the end of my life" Ash said. "And the worst thing is..." He trailed off and met my eyes. "It concerns you, even though I've already hurt you so badly."

"What could you possibly have done that's so stupid?" I asked quietly. Ash took in a deep breath and was quick to exhale again.

"Misty, I...I, um..." He was stuttering. This was most unusual for Mr. Pokémon Master, who always had to make public appearances and deliver speeches. "I think I've..." He trailed off and it was at this point I

realised just how close my face had been drawn to his. I was staring directly into those eyes again, slightly fearing this feeling I hadn't felt for two years now. Oh help. What was happening to me? Confusion reigned

my system as I wanted this to stop but last forever at the same time.

We didn't need to say anymore. We both knew what was going to happen and neither of us protested or stopped it. I closed my eyes, entering a dream world as his lips brushed mine, a fleeting whirlwind of bittersweet pleasure before we both heard voices and sharply drew away from each other, not even allowing a kiss to fabricate.

"Woohoo, go the lovebirds!"

"Aw yeah, shot mate!"

"So what's happening tonight, his house or hers?"

"Shit" I heard Ash mutter. Inwardly, I was saying a lot worse, but not just at the drunken teenagers who had shattered the magic moment. I had to yell at myself. How had I let myself get so close? I hadn't uttered one measly 'stop' or 'no.' Because I had wanted it to happen...

"C'mon Mist, I better get you home" Ash said quietly as he stood up. I accepted his extended hand and stood up, slowly walking beside Ash and past the smashed teens. I felt weak at the knees all the way back to the bach, and an awkward air now surrounded the two of us.

"Well, here's my bach" I said pointlessly five minutes later. We knew where we were, I didn't need to point it out. 

"Yeah" Ash replied as we approached the front door. It was dark by now, and I hoped that would mask my flushed face.

"Thank you, Ash" I said with a small smile.

"For what?" Ash raised an eyebrow.

"For being honest with me, opening up" I explained. "I never thought I'd get it out of you."  


"You would've sooner or later" Ash said. He had found a section of my windswept hair and was now twirling it round his finger, stroking it slowly, and the mere look he sent me was electrifying. But this time my head was screaming at me.

"I'll call you tomorrow. Bye Ash." I quickly opened the door, walked in and flashed him a smile before I closed the door. I turned around and leaned against it, breathing heavily as if I had just run an Olympic marathon. I opened my eyes and realised why my head had been screaming at me. There were all three of my sisters, grinning in my direction. My happy-confused state vanished on site.

"Go away, I'm not telling you anything" I announced, walking towards my room.

"I knew it! I so knew it, oh my GOD!" Lily shrieked. After hearing this I slammed my door and crashed on my bed. No no, I didn't want anger coming into me now. I wanted that feeling back that had hit me when Ash's lips had barely touched mine.

But then thinking that, I wanted to scream. At those teenagers, at my sisters, at myself for letting it get this far. I knew it was too late now though. I was falling for Ash all over again. Only the second time around, it seemed to be happening faster and with much more power than I previously thought possible.

A/N: Ahhh! I had fun writing this chapter. Things are starting to move now, woohoo! Please keep trucking with this, we'll get there! 


	8. When Harmless Fun Develops

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon. I don't own much actually. So yeah, don't sue.

A/N: This is a sorta short chapter. In fact it's really short - it's four pages long! And it's mostly dialogue. But oh well, at least it's a chapter. I don't really know what else to say so I think I'll just let you read now…

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Chapter seven - When Harmless Fun Develops.

Another night, another party. I sighed at my reflection, wanting to cry thanks to my never ending inner conflicts. Could it really have only been 24 hours ago that Ash and I were sitting on a bench, ready to kiss away our confessions? Oh God help me. 

My sisters had left an hour ago, looking like three perfect Barbie dolls, ready to go snag themselves some Kens. I smiled at that thought. At least they were having a good time. Plus the Ash saga seemed to keep them entertained, although since last night they had noticeably kept their distance. It was a blessing, but at the same time it confused the hell out of me.

Another blessing - Mom hadn't called. I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to face her again, so I had no complaints in that department.

Ding dong. There goes the potentially fatal doorbell. I snapped out of my thought cramped state and rushed to the door. _Not too eager, not too eager, _my mind repeated, and my opening of the door was much slower than my way of getting there.

"Bon soir, mademoiselle" Ash greeted me slyly and I had to laugh at his poor French accent.

"Good evening to you too" I replied politely. I shut the door and, with even more giggles erupting, I linked arms with him and nearly went into hysterics at his pompous expression and suddenly straight posture. I'd forgotten how much this guy had made me laugh. "So what's with all the formalities?" I asked.

"I dunno" Ash shrugged, his posture instantly relaxing at his casual words. "Guess I wanted to impress you. C'mon, we're going this way." He started pulling me in the opposite direction of the party.

"Uh, party's that way" I literally pointed out. 

"I know" Ash said non-chalantly. 

"So…where are we going?" I asked cautiously.

"We're getting dessert" Ash announced with a grin.

"I don't have any money" I sadly confessed. Damn. Dessert had sounded so good too.

"Oh. That's too bad" Ash said quietly. "I guess you'll just have to make do with a walk along the beach then." His grip on my arm got tighter and I smiled to myself.

"That's okay with me" I confirmed.

"Good, cos the truth is I have jack all in terms of money and I stuffed myself at dinner" Ash explained sheepishly.

"Ohh, I see" I said knowingly. We slowly meandered along, knowing we were both thinking about the incident the previous night but neither of us daring to bring it up. How could we? It was probably something that shouldn't have happened, something that hadn't been controlled by will but by hasty emotion.

The temperature had soared up in the last few days and it was still lingering around, even at that hour. I had to remove my intertwined arm from Ash's to take off my cardigan.

"Phew, it's hot" I commented lightly.

"Hmm" Ash replied, nodding and turning his gaze to the ocean. He then turned back towards me, a sly expression on his face, and it didn't take me long to click.

"Oh no, no way, I am going nowhere _near _that damn ocean" I said. Okay, maybe that was a tad forceful coming from me, but something was telling me my chances of drowning increased on a pitch black almost deserted beach.

"C'mon Mist, surely you can just dip your feet in?" Ash said teasingly.

"But what if…what if, um…" I was losing words, and excuses, and Ash only grinned wider. 

"What if your feet get wet? Ooh, the horrors" he said sarcastically. "Don't tell me you're afraid of dipping your little toe in the water." 

"N-no" I stuttered. "Of course not." Geez, could I be any more pathetic? _No, _my head answered. _You love the water. What's holding you back? One bad experience? Come on, it's in your blood. Hence your surname. _"Let's go." With that I ran toward the waves, randomingly flicking my jandals off and laughing at Ash's feeble attempts to catch up to me.

My feet connected with the water and, like it was the balm my conflicted mind craved, I exhaled deeply and embraced the feeling that was only on my feet but spreading throughout me at the same time. I don't usually get so caught up in things, but, despite nearly drowning in it, water is a part of me, a part of my soul. I can't control it.

I was so wrapped up in the moment I didn't notice it had all gone quiet, or how unlike Ash that was. Well, I didn't notice until he provoked me to open my eyes. He successfully achieved that by splashing me with the substance I loved so much. I screamed in surprise and anger, and met his hysterical form with flashing eyes.

"You little bastard!" I shrieked. "I can't _believe _you!" No more words passed my lips as I responded by kicking more than a few drops in his direction. Direct hit, he was practically saturated! I silently prided my aiming skills.

Ash copied my tactic and our feet proceeded to do battle with the water as the weapons. A winner _had _to be determined. And I was determined to make it me.

"C'mon Mist, that was pretty wimpy, even by your standards" Ash retorted.

"Alright Ketchum, you damn well asked for it." I lunged towards him, my objective of shoving him over into the ocean seeming easy. But I was in for a shock when he struck up a defense, holding me at arm's length. My attempt to shove him was failing and my feet had to become the offensive. I kicked but never actually made contact while he continued to hold me at bay and laugh at my weakness. Well at least his legs got wet. It would've been more satisfactory if he had been wearing designer jeans or something, but I had to make do with the shorts he was wearing.

"I don't remember you being this easy to fend off" Ash snickered. When the hell had he gotten so strong?

"I'm not!" I insisted, still hopelessly kicking away. I don't know how it happened, but Mom always said I never had my feet firmly on the ground. I guess I proved that when I lost my footing and felt myself falling. I screamed, knowing the water would be freezing. Damn Ash for persuading me to come out here, damn him for provoking me to a splash down, damn him for…

Catching me in mid-fall? What? He had caught me, his hands around my back and preventing me from being completely saturated. He must've picked up some fast reflex skills since I'd gone.

"Are you okay, Mist?" he asked worriedly. Oh God. I was melting into those eyes again. Only this time, I immediately noticed, nothing was telling me to stop or feel bad. I couldn't feel bad looking into his eyes, being sucked in but loving it.

"I'm fine" I replied quietly. I put my hand to his cheek, noticing his face slightly tense as I did, and I started entering that world again. I didn't protest at all this time. I couldn't. I wanted this more than I had previously realized, and with the waves still lapping at my feet, I drew my face closer to Ash's and lost myself in a feeling I hadn't experienced in two years.

Our lips met and no hesitation crossed between us as we relished in what we had longed for for so long. Oh my God, I didn't want this to stop. It was me and Ash, in the middle of a popular beach but lost in our own world at the same time, with no one and nothing stopping us.

I don't know how long the kiss of my life lasted, but even if it had been longer it wouldn't have been long enough. We pulled away reluctantly, our eyes never straying from each other and stunned smiles dominating our faces. 

"I did damn well ask for that" Ash said softly, and I laughed slightly at what I had said earlier in a different context. Ash stood me up, his hands now around my waist and mine around his neck.

"This is crazy" I whispered. It was. Only a month ago I had been cursing his name from dawn to dusk, and now here I was. Spinning in a place I had visited once before and now never wanted to leave again.

"No it's not" Ash replied, pulling my body closer to his. Oh I loved that feeling. Being in his arms, safe, warm - but above all, happy. Beyond happy.

He initiated another kiss and I easily responded to it. I know this one lasted longer, it was deeper, and we lingered over it, holding each other closer and tighter. I had to pull away as my need for air became bigger than my need for Ash. I was dizzy with pleasure and it obviously showed when I struggled to stay standing up. Had it not been for Ash's hands, I probably would have fallen in the water anyways. 

"I wonder what your mother would be saying to all this" Ash suddenly commented.

"I honestly don't care" I replied, now thinking of ways to change the subject. I didn't want my mother ruining this for me, no matter how far away she was.

"Maybe you should care, Mist" Ash said, suddenly turning severe on me. "She wouldn't exactly be thrilled."

"So? What's your point?" I asked.

"My point is that I hope you're not going through this just to get back at your mom" Ash raised an eyebrow.

"No! Ash no, not at all!" I exclaimed desperately. "She is the _last _thing on my mind. You're the first, and you have been over this past month. Maybe these past two years even" I confessed, slowly stroking his cheek with one lone finger.

"No way" Ash said softly.

"Uh-huh. You drove me crazy, sent me through two thousand different emotions, most of them negative. But now that's all changed" I explained.

"When did it change?" Ash asked.

"I don't know. I guess…" I trailed off and bit my lip. "I guess I was in love with you the whole two years, but I was so wrapped up in my pain and bitterness that I refused to realise it. Seeing you that first night here, I just freaked."

"No kidding. So you were in love with me for those two years? Wow" Ash marveled. "Funny that, I was going through the same thing myself with you."

"Even when you were with Giselle?" I asked.

"Absolutely. I think, Miss Waterflower, that great hearts feel alike" Ash smiled. I couldn't repress the smile that hit my lips, so much so I was scared my cheeks would crack.

"I guess so" I replied. By now the party we had originally planned to go to was moving down our way, and I pulled away from his embrace, grinning like an idiot. "You wanna…"

"Bust this joint?" Ash asked mischievously. I nodded and we walked back to the shore, desperate to avoid our drunken peers this time. Our arms were clasped firmly around each others waists, as if we were locking in ourselves and all our emotions, and we slowly strolled along the beach towards my bach.

"Are you happy you came to Washbay?" Ash asked suddenly.

"Of course I am. It brought us back together, it's giving me three months away from my mother and it's slowly healing some old wounds. Why did you ask that?"

"I never really got the impression you were happy here" Ash said.

"I wasn't at first. But I guess that was just me being ignorant." I yawned as I finished speaking, and unexplainable onset of fatigue hitting me. "What would you say if I told you I wanted to turn in early tonight?"

"I'd say no problem cos look where we are" Ash announced. I slightly laughed as I saw my bach in front of us.

"How convenient" I mused.

"Or how inconvenient" Ash said, suddenly bringing me in for another kiss. I was losing myself to him. All self-control had evaporated. I sighed in both pleasure and regret as we pulled away. "Go get that early night you wanted" Ash smiled.

"Thank you, Ash. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Without a doubt." I gave him a brief final kiss as he finished speaking and slowly walked inside. I felt like I was walking either in or on a dream, one that I never wanted to wake up from. 

I broke into a grin and, taking advantage of the empty house, squealed like a schoolgirl retelling an unbelievable story. This was highly unbelievable. But I couldn't help thinking it was so right too.

A/N: I admit, I loved writing this chapter too and I wrote most of it in my Stats class. How romantic, Stats. Urgh. But it finally happened! Woohoo! Okay, this is kinda important so read carefully. From the next chapter onwards this fic will be rated R. So you need to look out for it under that section. If you don't like reading R stuff you should probably stop reading. I'd rather get flamed for my skills than the content of my fics. Otherwise, read on! Thankies!


	9. Love's Ultimate Virtue

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon.

A/N: Yes, I said in my last A/N that this chapter would now be rated R and I wasn't kidding. So please remember, it's rated R for a lotta reasons, you clicked into it knowing that. I'll accept all flames with a smile and a deteriorating writing ego. LOL, j/k, just do what you want, stop reading, send me a flame full of expletives, or you might just like it and want to go on. You never know! And by the way, I've never done anything like what I'm about to do, so forgive me if it sucks, lol.

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Chapter Eight - Love's ultimate virtue.

The next three weeks flew by me at incredible speed, so fast that I barely had a moment to sit back and marvel on it all. This was, of course, all thanks to Ash and the flames that were quickly re-igniting between us. I couldn't complain. In fact, I was finder fewer things to complain about these days. Even my mother had gone strangely calm at the prospect of me "befriending" the boy who broke my heart. She didn't need details. Our phone conversations every three or so days were kept to a bare minimum of chit-chat and never really lasted more than five minutes, which suited us both. 

It was one balmy Saturday evening that Violet suddenly burst through the front door. Not that I noticed - I was on the couch with Ash, too engulfed in his kisses to notice much else. Even her forceful slamming of the door didn't snap either one of us out of it, as we both knew it would be one of those three.

"Oh my God, do you two have trouble, like, prying your lips away from each other or something?" she asked loudly. That did the trick and I pulled away from Ash, glaring at my now seated sister.

"You got a problem, Vivi?" I asked, using the nickname she had picked up somewhere and absolutely despised.

"Don't call me that!" Violet screeched.

"Well then don't interrupt me when I'm busy" I said, preparing to turn back to a clearly amused Ash when Violet suddenly grabbed my arm. "What do you want?" I demanded in frustration.

"I ran into Mark today" Violet announced.

"Our cousin Mark?" I queried. Violet nodded. "That's nice. Guess it is a small world after all." I grinned at Ash, thinking back to that night we had first run into each other.

"No Mist, you don't understand, he…" Violet paused and I stared at her with raised eyebrows. "He knows about you two." She indicated Ash and I, and Ash sent me a worried look.

"What? How the hell does he know? Which one of you let it slip?!" I yelled, demanding answers.

"None of us. You two just aren't discreet enough down on that beach. He saw you yesterday and…well, you know Mark" Violet said nervously. I certainly did know Mark. He was a year older than me and I always thought he would've coped better as a woman. He tended to thrive on gossip, and the dirtier the better. No doubt this would be his ultimate field day, especially if he retold it back to Mom.

"If he dares says anything to Mom I'll…I'll kill him! He won't live to see seventeen!" I vowed, my voice gradually rising.

"Misty, calm down" Ash quietly pleaded, squeezing my hand in some sort of reassurance.

"No! Where is he? Where is the bastard?" Before I even had time to think, I had leapt out of my seat and was running towards the beach, my eyes furiously scanning the sandy plains. In my heart of hearts, I knew it was impossible. The beach wasn't exactly small, and dozens of baches were scattered on the upper bank. He could've been occupying any of them.

At this realisation, I collapsed on the sand and drew my knees close to my chest, hugging myself, trying to squeeze out some sort of self-comfort. Mark could now make everything fall apart so easily. It was a fact that brought tears to my eyes, even when Ash sat beside me and put an arm around my shoulders.

"You probably shouldn't do that out here" I said softly. It was hardly a protest though, as I was now leaning against his shoulder.

"Violet tells me Mark's a bit of a gossiper" Ash said.

"That's an understatement" I sighed. "He spreads things faster than margarine and adds his own little twists and fragments here and there. Out of all the people who could've been at this beach, it had to be him!" I exclaimed.

"Shh, it's okay. Your mom had to find out sooner or later" Ash said soothingly, rubbing my half-bare right arm.

"But not like this" I said weakly. "She'll have a heart attack hearing it from her nephew rather than her daughter, the one who actually committed the crime."

"What? Being in love is a crime?" Ash asked in astonishment.

"Being in love with you is" I smiled sadly.

"Gee, I've never even met the woman and already she's branded me a criminal" Ash said with a grin.

"That's her problem. She's so judgmental." Not to mention selfish, unsympathetic, favoring, demanding…

"You know, you could try calling her before Mark does" Ash suggested.

"That's it!" I exclaimed. "That'll work! God, why didn't I think of that? Ash Kethcum, you're a bloody genius!" I stood up with him and planted a small kiss of gratitude on his lips. We walked back towards the bach and I immediately pounced on the phone, ignoring Violet's curious gaze, and dialed out the familiar number.

Uh oh. I hadn't prepared myself on what I was gonna say. Geez, she hadn't even picked up the phone and already I'd made a mess of things.

"Hello?" A familiar male voice answered and my sinking heart instantly lifted.

"Hi Dad" I said cheerily, almost forgetting the task at hand. I loved my father, and I hadn't talked to him since I'd left.

"Misty? Is something wrong?" Dad asked.

"N-not really" I stuttered. "Is Mom home?" There was a long pause, so long it made me wonder if the connection had been cut. "Hello? Dad, are you there?"

"I-I'm here sweetie." Now it was Dad's turn to stutter. "Your mother has…gone out. She won't be home for a while."

"Oh my God, are you guys getting divorced?" I asked in horror. It was an instant reaction to the hesitant tones in Dad's voice and the obvious secret he was habouring. I heard Violet gasp in what seemed like surprise, although as much as the prospect of our family splitting up would upset me, it wouldn't surprise me. I don't know how Dad can live with Mom every day like he does. I obviously didn't inherit his tolerance.

"No no no" Dad chuckled. "Of course not. She just might be away a bit yet. You know her, busy busy."

I groaned. "I do know. Okay, you don't have to tell her I called or anything, I'll catch up with her later."

"Alright. Don't get into any mischief over there peachpie" Dad teased, using the nickname he had leeched on me the minute I was born. I cringed, thankful for the privacy of the phone, my mind playing images of Ash repeatedly calling me peachpie.

"Yes sir" I laughed. "See ya in five weeks." Yes, I only had five weeks until I had to go home. Bummer huh? 

We said our goodbyes and hung up, after which I immediately crashed onto the couch, rubbing my temples in frustration.

"Not home?" Ash asked, sitting beside me. I nodded and leant my head on the back of the sofa, staring skyward.

"Maybe it's just as well. I have no idea what to tell her" I said.

"What, you can't tell her that you're sucking face with the ex that brought you home?" Violet grinned through her teasing.

"Oh shut up" I groaned.

"Sorry, sorry" Violet apologized. "Anyways, I'm gonna meet the other three at some café. Then I think we're out all night. So, uh…don't do anything I wouldn't do." With that she left, and I turned to Ash with a puzzled expression on my face.

"Is there anything she wouldn't do?" Ash burst out laughing after hearing this and I cuddled up closer to him. Being enveloped in him, his arms felt like a barrier, a border from which no one could hurt me. Sounds like a stupid illusion to be under, but it wasn't like I could help it. 

We fell quiet after Ash's giggles died down, just savoring each other's presence and watching the rhythmatic dance of the ocean tide. It was almost lulling me to sleep, but I refused to doze off. It was only 6 o'clock and I planned to spend every minute of daylight with Ash.

"Hey Misty?" Ash suddenly spoke up.

"Mmm" I replied lazily.

"What's gonna happen when you go home?" Ash asked. My half-closed eyes sprung open and I sat up fully to face him.

"Do we have to think about that now? I've still got five weeks here. That's quite a while" I said doubtfully. I was trying to convince both myself and Ash on that matter, which I guess was just too big a job for me to handle. 

"It's not long enough" Ash mumbled, now nuzzling and kissing my neck. I didn't realise two years of separation could fuel so many unknown feelings within me at just Ash's touch, and I felt myself slipping away from reality as I responded to his kisses. 

"You ungrateful bastard" I teased softly. This only contributed to the kisses deepening in passion, as we both seemed to be facing up to the reality that one day in the near future, summer would be over. He would return to his highly public and demanding life at the Indigo Plateau, and I would return to my dreary existence under the same roof as my mother in Cerulean City. It was a prospect neither of us were looking forward to.

I actually had a bit of a delayed reaction when Ash's hands started wandering from my waist to my upper half, a part of me he had never been near before. I felt a slight tugging at the buttons of my blouse and that was the final trigger I needed to pull away from Ash and eye him carefully. The two of us were breathing heavily, like we'd just run through the finishing line of a marathon, and neither of us could tear our eyes away from the other.

"I'm sorry Mist" Ash apologized, looking disheveled. I can't have looked much better myself, with my flushed face and consistently pounding heart that was threatening to fly through my chest. "Look what you do to me" he laughed slightly, placing a hand on my cheek. "I'm sorry, I can't say that enough, I'm so -"

I put a finger to his lips, instantly silencing him as I did. I continued to silently scan his eyes as I took his hand and placed it back where it had been before, on my right breast, his eyes widening and sensations awakening inside of me that I had never experienced before. Sensations that were based on the all too powerful drug of love. I inhaled deeply, suddenly realizing how much I wanted this.

"Don't be" I whispered.

"What? Misty, are you sure about -"

"Shh" I hushed him. "I'm sure." I nodded, confirming everything I was feeling, and drew my lips to his in the most powerful and meaningful kiss of my life. I didn't care how hasty this seemed, because in reality our love had survived for years - the years we had kept it to ourselves, the years we had gone out, and the years we had been separated.

And this was it. Tonight I would prove to Ash how much I loved him. I would give him a part of me that no one else could have. I wouldn't give it to anyone else either.

He slowly pulled away from me, halting the prolonged kiss, and started stroking loose strands of my hair. "Misty, I don't wanna do something you're gonna regret. I know I won't regret it if it happens because I love you so much, but…"

"Don't say if" I interrupted. "You should be saying when. It's happening, Ash. You know it and I know it, we both know it's inevitable."

"But now? Tonight?" Ash asked. I took his hand again and kissed his fingers before intertwining them with mine.

"Yes. Tonight. I need you to know how much I love you, even through all my bitter ignorance" I smiled. Ash smiled back.

"I loved you through all that too. I just…I don't wanna hurt you, or ruin what we have now."

"Ash, if anything this will seal or strengthen the bond we already have" I pointed out. I stood up, my hand still firmly in his. "But it's up to you. If you're not ready, than neither am I." Ash looked at me for all of two seconds before he joined me standing up.

"I'm ready" he whispered. Those two words sent me into nervous pleasure and our hands were still clasped together as we slowly started walking down the hall. My stomach was running round in circles and I could've sworn I was lacking oxygen but this was happening. My dizziness would only stop me if it caused me to pass out.

It was strange to think, as we walked into my room, that the last time we had both been in there was when I had, in my own subtle way, told him to piss off.

Such is the irony of life.

I closed the door behind me and pulled Ash over to my bed, where we both sat down and just looked at each other for a long, virtually breathless moment. Ash finally broke the ice when his hand found its way to my cheek and then slowly started moving lower.

"I love you" he said softly. A phrase he had said to me so often it was becoming common. However this time the words made me feel things I clearly defined as uncommon, things that were now making me wrap my arms around the back of his neck in an unexplainable hunger.

"I love you too" I replied. The kiss that followed was one I didn't want to let go of, and in the end I didn't really. Our lips never left each other as Ash started unbuttoning my blouse, my skin warming to his somewhat hesitant touches. The apprehension soon subsided and we started waltzing into the lover's dance. It was slow, it was fast, it was painful and it was beautiful all at the same time.

Ash made it that way. When I blushed at the body I owned and sometimes hated, he kissed me and told me how beautiful I was. When I cried out in pain, he caressed me until it became pleasure. We melted into one as the world and all the worries it held dissolved -- there was not an ounce of room for my mother, Mark, Giselle or the Pokémon League. Just Ash and I, discovering what we had lost and making up for it. 

Our rhythm became in sync until it eventually became faster, almost desperate, progressing to the highest level of love possible. I vaguely remember calling out the name of the only person I would ever love before we both climaxed into a state of sated exhaustion. I was finding air hard to come by in my overwhelmed state and finally slowly exhaled, my eyes never leaving Ash's.

"Wow." It was all I could say and it was barely above a whisper but it concluded what we were both thinking and feeling at the time, and he kissed me so tenderly I nearly cried. This was just one of the many kinds of love that had been absent from my life for so long.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" Ash asked worriedly, now holding me in his arms.

"Well…not really, I had to expect it. Either way it was wonderful" I replied softly.

"No regrets then?" Ash added.

"None whatsoever." His chest now became my pillow and I had barely wrapped my arms around him when my eyes started closing in a slumber I couldn't stop.

*******

The most amazing night of my life had just transpired and now I was waking up -- in Ash's arms, no less. I smiled up at him through sleep-filled eyes.

"Good morning" I greeted him.

"It certainly is" Ash smiled back. He started those unstoppable kisses again and I automatically responded to them, feeling those sensations that had now become half-familiar since the previous night.

The kisses were lingered over and started traveling to places other than lips when a sound hit my ears and I immediately tore myself away from him. 

"What was that?" I whispered panickly. 

"What was wha -" Ash was cut off when the door to my room swung open and the nightmare of my life was suddenly standing in front of me.

"MISTY WATERFLOWER, CHRIST AND HEAVEN ABOVE!!" I knew there was no point trying to cover up the situation, but I still screamed and pulled the blanket up to my chin.

Mom.

A/N: Okay, things to note: this story is now rated R. I dunno how many times I've said that, but please keep that in mind when you're about to flame me. Also this was my first sex scene and it was only two paragraphs long, I know, but any longer and I probably would've had to put it under NC-17. And I _tried _to do it with some taste, so I can only hope I succeeded. Um, what else…there's a bit of a cliffhanger! Haha, won't be hanging for long, I'll get the next one up ASAP. Until then, stay cool everyone!


	10. Hope Shining Through The Nightmare

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon. No seriously, it's only a distant dream!

A/N: Wowee, here we are! And it's now rated R! I can't stop saying that…um, well thanks so much for the reviews thus far, and here it is, the morning after!

****

Chapter nine - Hope shining through the nightmare.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Mom demanded to know as she strode towards my bed. If I hadn't been quaking in absolute fear and anger I could've thrown the question back at her, but my lips were sealed against my will. "You answer your mother, girl!" Mom yelled when I failed to reply. She had a face like thunder and her voice would have woken up my sisters by now.

"I…I, um…Mom, listen -" I pathetically started.

"I am listening" Mom interrupted. I just prayed Ash would keep his mouth shut and not get on an even worse level with Mom, if that was at all possible.

"I'm in love with Ash" I blurted out. "I didn't tell you cos I knew you'd be angry, but I can't help it. I love him."

"Oh for God's sake, Misty, I absolutely REFUSE to go through all this love crap again. You," she pointed at Ash, "get out of here as soon as possible. I hope and expect to never see or hear from you again" she announced. "As for you Misty…I suggest you move it to the lounge as soon as possible." With that she slammed the door and I turned to Ash in shellshock.

"Um, I guess I better get going" he muttered.

"Yeah" I whispered, feeling tears well up in my eyes. An unwanted sob escaped my mouth and they only multiplied when Ash put his arms around me and held me close, letting me literally cry into his shoulder.

"Shh, Mist, this will work out somehow" he said soothingly.

"Not with her around!" I wailed.

"Misty, come on, hush" Ash said quietly. He kissed the top of my head and stroked my hair. "She can't stop our emotions, that's for sure."

"Yeah" I sniffled, pulling away from him and looking at him carefully in case I wouldn't be seeing him again for a long time. "I'll sneak out and visit you, I'll lie to her face to see you, I'll -"

"Misty, I don't want you getting in more trouble with her" Ash said.

"I couldn't possibly be" I smiled weakly as he wiped away the rivers of tears that had stained my cheeks.

"I'm sorry Mist, I shouldn't have -"

"Don't you dare say that!" I snapped. "This is not your fault. What happened happened because we both wanted it to and if she can't handle it then that's her own problem."

"Misty!" Mom's voice rang out. "Get out here!"

"Go" Ash urged. I slipped on a robe and initiated a long tender kiss between us.

"I love you" I murmured as I pulled away and stood up.

"Yeah yeah, I love you too" Ash said teasingly. "Get going. And don't go digging your grave deeper. You have to believe this will work out somehow."

"How are you gonna get out?" I asked timidly. 

"Window" Ash replied, pointing to the window above my bed.

"Okay." I held back more tears and slowly stepped out of my room, walking towards my doom. I entered the lounge silently but keeping my head held high as I sat opposite my infuriated mother. 

"I thought you told me you two were just friends" Mom started.

"Yeah, and I thought you told me it was just me and the other three coming here, not Mark and certainly not you" I replied calmly.

"This has nothing to do with Mark or myself. This is about you and your lies and your little toy boy" Mom snarled. 

"Bullshit it is!" I yelled, my mouth getting away on me. "This is about your insecurity when I fall in love, your absolute hatred for Ash!"

"You honestly don't think you're in love with him" Mom slightly laughed. My narrowed eyes said it all and her sarcastic smile instantly dissolved. "I can't believe how incredibly naïve you are! God Misty, I thought I brought you up better than that!"

"You didn't bring me up at all! You brought up Violet and Daisy and Lily with all the love and care you'd expect from a mother. You practically gave Dad full custody of me and tended to overlook what you probably called the blemish in your otherwise perfect life!"

"Misty, I strongly suggest you take those tones out of your voice" Mom warned through clenched teeth.

"And what are you gonna do that could possibly upset me now, huh? You've done more than enough. I think you punished the both of us by being the one who gave birth to me" I said.

"Maybe you're right on that one. You're a disgrace to this family and you know it. You haven't got half the talent your sisters possess, you embarrass the lot of us by nearly drowning…and now this! Sleeping with some boy who you claim to love when you really don't have a clue!" Mom exclaimed.

Her words twisted an already planted knife in my heart and I struggled to let the tears break down my strength. To hear my own mother, no matter how much I despise her at times, calling me a disgrace and practically wishing I had never been born was a pain I could hardly bear. The only other person who could hurt me that badly with the same words would be Dad.

"Mom…" I regained my composure and tried to keep my voice stable. "I love Ash. I wouldn't have slept with him if I didn't love him."

"God help me…" Mom muttered in frustration. "I bet you didn't use any sort of protection either."

I froze. The thought had never even slightly occurred to me. Oh my God, how could I have forgotten something that important?! Speech pretty much escaped me at the realisation.

"Um…I, well, you see -"

"Oh great, now we'll have some Ketchum disease riddling you for the rest of our lives" Mom said coldly. "Just great. Nice one Misty. Imagine what our friends are going to say, and the press -"

"MOM! Give it a goddamn rest!" I screamed. "The press won't give a damn. I won't have a disease anyways." 

"What makes you so sure of that?" Mom asked.

"I just know" I whispered unconvincingly. 

"You don't know jack. I'll charge that bastard with statutory rape -"

"HE'S NOT A BASTARD AND IT WASN'T RAPE!" I screamed.

"You're underage and he knows it! That's statutory rape" Mom explained.

"Yeah, and rape is defined as forcing someone to have sex against their will. That isn't what happened. I wanted to -"

"You just shut your mouth, you little smart-ass" Mom interrupted. I lowered my eyes to the floor and clenched my fists into balls of rage. "Now, you're going to stay in Washbay for the next five weeks as we originally planned. But you are not going to see that boy ever again and I will be here to make sure of it" she announced.

"You're crazy!" I yelled. "Why do you have to do this to me and not to the other three?"

"Because they had the sense to wait until they were old enough and to use protection. They work hard for their careers so they can afford to go out and have _sensible _boyfriends. We thought if your swimming wasn't going to get you anywhere then Pokémon training might. But instead you come running home at the first downfall, you mope around the gym and achieve nothing but self-pity" Mom said.

"I was a lousy trainer anyway" I muttered.

"Maybe so, but at least it was a prospect. So we decide to send you here to see more of the world and meet different people. And instead you're back in the arms of the boy who ruined it all!" Mom sighed.

"So? What has that got to do with you?" I asked.

"I'm your mother and he is the world's youngest Pokémon Master! We all have public reputations to uphold here" Mom said.

"Well I don't" I pointed out.

"Talented or not, Misty, you are still a Waterflower. If any of this leaked to the press we would all be done for" Mom said severely. 

"Why would the press care about what I do? They only care about the other thr -" I stopped myself as one simple but powerful word came into my head.

Giselle. Look what had happened to her because of the press. Of course, I didn't want to end up like her, but I still couldn't see any real interest in little old me. Giselle was important herself. Only my sisters were important, I wasn't, so who would…

"Misty? You were saying?" Mom had interrupted my pondering and I quickly shook my head in an attempt to rid my confusing thoughts.

"I can't remember" I said honestly.

"Look, I am doing this for the sake of the family. We can't afford to have our reputation tarnished" Mom said. 

"Well gee Mom, that's real considerate, stopping my whole life so the rest of the family can benefit" I said bitterly.

"You can do better than someone who treats you like a whore" Mom informed me.

"He does anything but! He loves me, he always has, and I've always loved him. You can go ahead and try to stop us, but feelings like these only happen once in a lifetime and they're certainly powerful enough to overcome you" I said in pure determination. I was becoming exhausted from this battle that was going nowhere and I was already angry enough at everything Mom had to say about Ash and I.

"Stay away from him, Misty. That's an order. If you go against me the consequences will be too overwhelming for you to comprehend" Mom threatened. 

"What the hell have you got against him?!" I yelled.

"He's ruined you for life! I won't see it happen again. When we get home, you are getting a job, and I refuse to see him trash that" Mom announced. A job? I didn't want a job. Although I suppose the income would pay for any visits I wanted to take up to Indigo Plateau. 

"I'm going to get some breakfast" I muttered as I stood up. It was a weak excuse to get away from Mom but she didn't seem to have any protests at the prospect of me getting food.

My feet felt like lead as I walked the short distance to the kitchen and my heart didn't feel much different. Ash had promised me this would work, but he had no idea what Mom was like. He'd only seen a fraction of her wrath that morning.

I bit my lip in protest to the tears that were forming in my eyes and walked to my room, a mug of hot chocolate taking the role of my breakfast. The window was open, a slight breeze making the curtains dance, and I had to smile when I saw a note hastily scrawled and left to be discovered on my bed. I picked it up, scanning the words over as my smile got broader.

__

You told me not to say it so I'll write it instead. I'm so sorry for all this, I swear I'll make it up to you. She won't stop us. You know where I am if you get the chance, but DON'T TAKE ANY RISKS! This will work out. It's all I can promise you right now. Loving you till the end of time, Ash xoxo. 

I sighed and stashed the note in the back of a drawer - the aim was for Mom to never find it. Reluctance dominated me as I had a shower and started getting dressed, as the prospect of staying in the bed where I had given myself to Ash and bawling my eyes out seemed far more appealing. But, apparently, life goes on, and I was reminded of this when Mom's shrill voice once again rang out.

"Misty! Are you dressed?"

"Yeah" I feebly replied, walking out of my room and towards the lounge.

"Good, your sisters want to take you out for the day" Mom announced as I entered the lounge. I eyed my three sisters in surprise but they had one of those 'play along with it' looks I knew so well from them, so I did as the look said.

"Okay then, let's, like, make a move" Daisy suggested. I followed them out the door and was in for a shock when Violet and Lily grabbed my arms forcefully and started leading me down the steps and onto the beach.

"Hey! What's going on?" I demanded to know.

"Just shut up and keep walking. This is, like, for your own sake" Lily informed me. I kept my mouth shut but couldn't help ignoring the little mounts of fear building up inside me. What were they going to do? Did they have a gun or something? Had I slipped something incriminating to Mom on accident? I wracked my brain for an answer but found it impossible and we stopped walking five fear-filled minutes later. We were well away from our bach but, I sadly realized, within painstaking view of Ash's.

"Sit" Violet ordered. I sank into the sand and looked up at the towering form of the three of them, my heart going into overtime. By now I was more than a little scared. I was on the brink of being insanely terrified. I gulped and was rearing to start praying when my sisters' lethal faces suddenly broke into unexpected grins and laughter reverberated my ears.

"Oh my God, we totally had her crapping her pants" Lily smirked.

"What's going on?" I asked weakly. The three of them sat in front of me and Violet gently touched my shoulder.

"Relax sweetie, we were just winding you up."

"Well thanks a lot" I sighed. 

"But seriously, we do have a reason for bringing you out here. And I don't think you're gonna be entirely ungrateful for it either" Daisy declared.

"So let's hear it" I cautiously urged.

"Misty…we heard the whole thing with Mom just before. Did you really sleep with Ash, or was that just Mom, like, going through the roof?" Lily asked as all three of them gazed at me expectedly. 

"That wasn't Mom going through the roof. I slept with Ash last night for the first time, and -"

"She walked in on you?!" Violet gasped in horror.

"Well, it was morning, I'd only just woken up" I shrugged.

"Oh Mist" Daisy sighed. "That's why we were telling you to call her. She was threatening to come here if you didn't start behaving."

"What! And you didn't tell me?!" I exclaimed.

"We figured that since you weren't listening to us when we were telling you to call her that you wouldn't listen if we told you that she was visiting. You would've thought we were joking" Lily explained.

"Shit" I muttered. "You're probably right."

"Why'd ya do it, Mist? No protection or anything" Violet said in exasperation.

"Look, it happened because we're in love. We knew it was going to happen and we couldn't stop it, nor did we try to" I explained. 

"Well lil' sis, we have a deal to propose to you" Lily announced.

I raised an eyebrow. "A deal?"

"Okay, Mom has no idea how wild it gets here. She knows there are parties and stuff but she doesn't really know how big" Daisy started.

"Yeah. She doesn't know about the drinking and the nights we don't come home and the…other stuff" Violet mumbled.

"What, the sex?" I grinned. Violet turned a shade of crimson at the word. "I've dropped hints to her before but she doesn't believe me" I added.

"Exactly. Even if she did hear what goes on here, she'd immediately tell herself that we wouldn't dare be a part of it. But the truth is, we are. And quite frankly, we're having too much of a good time to stop before we need to" Daisy said.

"You see how much she restricts us" Lily groaned. "How long she makes us work. If she found out what we were doing now, we'd be whisked home to practice and perform even more."

"Okay Mist, here's the bottom line: you help us, we help you" Daisy said.

"You want me to keep your little stunts under wraps?" I asked. The three of them nodded, and I immediately started thinking of blackmail. It was all too perfect, too easy in a situation like this. _If you don't do this for me, I'll tell Mom that you… _But something was intriguing me. "How does this benefit me at all?"

"Imagine how incredibly coincidental it would be if the three of us took you to a party every night and we just happened to go past that bach over there" Violet grinned slyly, pointing to Ash's bach.

"WHAT?!" I shouted.

"Geez Mist, keep it down" Violet complained, sounding like she now regretted her choice of words.

"It'd be so easy. We'd say we're taking you partying and instead of you coming with us, you could go see Ash. If you came home before us, you could say we got separated and you were tired" Lily explained. "We could always say we stayed at a friend's house if we didn't make it home till the next day. She knows our friends here."

"You…you guys would do that for me?" I asked in a voice strangled by emotion.

"We won't tell if you won't" Violet said.

"Sweetie, we know how much he means to you. We've known for…God, how many years now? Five?" Unable to find a conclusive answer, Daisy shrugged and turned back to me. "You wouldn't have slept with him if he wasn't important to you. But this is important to us. This is how we let loose and it's a lot harder to do that now that Mom's here."

"So Mist? Would you do it?" Lily asked hopefully. I didn't even have to think before an answer spurted from my mouth.

"Of course I'll do it!" I exclaimed. I quickly refrained from getting too excited when I thought flashed in my mind. "Are you all for real?"

"Duh!" Violet shouted. "As much as we love Mom, well…she can kinda be a dampener when it comes to parties."

"And we know how she treats you like shit. We've gotta admit…we haven't been much better" Daisy confessed as the other two nodded. "This is our way of making it up to you."

The words of gratitude refused to leave my choked up throat, so instead I hugged the three of them simultaneously, feeling some kind of bond develop between us. We'd never really bonded before, so this was nothing short of a miracle. 

I pulled away with tears flooding my eyes. "Oh don't gimme that look Mist, you'll make me cry" Violet whine. I had to laugh. She had always been branded the emotional one out of the four of us.

"I'm sorry, it's just…"

"We know." Lily smiled compassionately. "Now tonight, we're going out. It's not essential we come home cos, like we said, Mom knows we have friends here. But it is _critical _that you do. You know what to say if we're not there, right?" I nodded. "Okay. Some nights we're gonna hafta meet up or she'll get suspicious, but we'll sort that out later."

"Sounds good" I confirmed.

"In that case, we're going to get some brunch. You want in?" Daisy asked. I stood up and smiled at the sisters I never would have imagined truly connecting with until now.

"I think I can handle a shake." With that the four of us walked off and I smiled in anticipation as we passed Ash's bach. It would become a second home for me every night from now on. Maybe he had been right when he said this would all work out.

A/N: I can barely type this, my fingernails have grown too long. That is totally not relevant so I think I will leave before it gets even worse. Next chapter out soon, I do update this thing quickly but I might start giving it a couple of days in between chapters. I might have to, my sis is getting titchy because I hog the computer. ANYWAYS, I swear I'll be quiet now! AAML forever!


	11. The Phonecall

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon.

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated for a while, I dunno why I haven't…not like I've been doing anything of significant importance. Well anyways, I am here now and a chapter is here now! Woohoo!

****

Chapter ten - The Phonecall.

"NO! GET THAT CRAP AWAY FROM ME!" I screamed, running from the bathroom to my room and slamming the door firmly to emphasise what I was yelling at my sister.

"Misty, don't be a baby" Violet shouted through the door.

"I'm not going near that make-up so put it away and let's go!" I ordered.

"Don't you wanna look your best for -" Violet cut herself off and spoke in more hushed tones. "For you-know-who?"

"He doesn't give a shit about make-up."

"Woah, fiesty" Violet laughed. "Fine, this isn't going anywhere. Come on out and we'll get going."

"Thank God" I muttered as I stepped out. We walked to the lounge and I got what I knew I was going to get from my mother. The disapproving raised eyebrow look.

"Is that the best you can do?" she criticized. "Not a smidgen of make-up on you, jeans…" She shook her head.

"Well Mom, I don't own any make-up and as much as you'd love me to get an eye infection from using theirs, I'd rather not. I can't use their foundation or concealer either, I don't have their stunning complexions" I said coldly.

Mom narrowed her eyes. "Do you want to go home?"

"Would change anything for me. I'd still be under the same roof as you, still being forced to do things I don't wanna do, still separated from As -"

"Don't mention that name!" Mom interrupted loudly. I grinned evilly. This could be a lot of fun.

"Aaaaaassss…" I dragged out the letters, Mom's face growing darker by the microsecond. "Aaaaaasssss..."

"Alright, we're going" Daisy announced, suddenly springing up from the couch. "See ya later, Mom." The four of us waited outside and as soon as the door closed, Daisy grabbed my shoulders forcefully, much like the other two had done earlier to my arms. "If I wasn't in my right mind at this moment I'd be slapping you black and blue. We are trying to make your life a little more pleasant with her around and all you can do is create more trouble!" she hissed. "It's your own stupid fault you're not in Mom's good books when you do stuff like that."

"Sorry" I muttered. "I can't stand her."

"We gathered" Lily rolled her eyes. "But talking to her like that won't help anyone or anything."

"Okay okay, let's go" I said. I couldn't hide the excited tones in my voice and the grin that involuntarily broke out when I started thinking about what Ash's face would be like when he opened the door. An idea suddenly sprung to mind and I giggled at the thought.

"Geez Mist, are you alright?" Lily asked in what sounded like genuine concern.

"She's in love" Violet supplied. "See, this is what happens when you start getting emotionally involved. It's safer and less scarier to just shag 'em and ship 'em off."

"Oh yeah, _real _safe, sleeping round with a billion different guys" I said sarcastically. 

"You're one to talk, little Miss Free Love!" Violet snapped back.

"Okay guys, just calm down" Daisy pleaded. "We're all doing favors for each other and the last thing we need is for it to all turn to custard on the first night." As a result of this, the rest of the walk to our destinations was quiet, but I don't think any of us really minded. I was too excited to care anyways. I'd only seen him that morning but it had seemed the beginning of our ultimate separation, thanks to Mom.

"Okay Mist, here we are" Lily announced.

Violet grabbed my shoulders and eyed me severely. "Come home tonight. Have a good time. But for God's sake, _please _don't do anything stupid. We are doing this so you can have as good a time as us in your own way, but we don't wanna see you in more trouble."

"Thanks guys" I smiled. "Have a good night."

"You too" Lily said mischievously, winking and receiving a sharp nudge from Daisy for her troubles. I watched them walk away with a smile on my face, and then started thinking of how to put my earlier plan into action. It wasn't anything big, but it would make for more shock value when I saw Ash.

Walking round the back of his bach, I grinned in relief at the sight of an open window. It was low, easy climbing access, a dream situation for what I was about to do. I walked up to it and placed my palms flat down on the sill before hoisting myself up and through it, landing with a soft thud I prayed wouldn't echo through. 

Uh oh. Looking around, I realized I was in Ash's room with no sense of direction. But this only worried me for a second before I felt a sense of almost coming home. Other people would call the condition of his room sordid, with clothes strewn everywhere and a suitcase still only half unpacked, yet I knew this as Ash himself. He hadn't changed a bit since I'd left him.

Wow, his room even _smelt _the same. 

My non-sense of direction hit me again and I slowly tiptoed out of his room, walking down a hall that was similar to ours. Must have been a similar sort of layout. I could see the lounge and Ash occupying it a minute later, turned away from me as he watched the T.V. 

Still on cautious tiptoe, I slowly crept up behind him and covered his eyes, feeling static strands of that coal hair brushing against my skin. His body jumped in surprise and he half-turned to face me, although he wouldn't have been able to actually see anything.

"What the hell…what's going on?" he asked. I couldn't deny that he sounded slightly scared, but I also couldn't blame him. If someone did this to me, I'd be most likely screaming at the prospect of it being a murderer.

"You're being abducted" I announced cheerily. Damn, I had forgotten to mask my voice. Oh well, Ash was still obviously shocked, because there was a long pause before he spoke his next words.

"M-Misty? Is that you?" I could only keep grinning like an idiot at his spellbound words, not wanting to speak for fear of breaking the moment. He spoke again, his words now sounding slightly frustrated. "Come on, who is this, stop playing around." 

"Okay" I said simply. With that I slowly removed my hands and smiled into his wide eyes. "Hi Ash" I whispered.

"Misty? But what, why are you…how are you…?" Ash stumbled over his words before he took in a deep breath of air and continued with some sort of coherence. "I…um, what about your Mom, doesn't she, uh -"

"Oh God, don't get me started on her" I groaned, walking round the couch and flopping down beside him. "She's being a cow at the moment. Apparently she's here to make sure I never see 'that boy' again. But what she doesn't know won't hurt her, so here I am" I said happily, lightly pecking his cheek and cuddling up to him.

"I thought you'd be going home" Ash said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"So did I. But I'm here until the end of summer, she said so herself" I explained. Ash nodded. He then cupped my face in his hands and eyed me with nothing but warmth and sincerity. 

"I was so worried about you. I'm so sorry. I will never be able to say sorry enough, this was all my fault…" He trailed off and sighed. "I love you, and the last thing I want to see is you getting hurt or in trouble."

"But I'm not getting hurt. And it wasn't your fault. It was mutual, and I do not for a second regret it." I paused and eyed him carefully. "You don't regret last night, do you?" I asked cautiously. If he regretted the previous night, then yes, that would hurt me. 

"No no, of course not" Ash said quickly. "Last night was amazing. I wouldn't have exchanged it for anything in the world." I was comforted by his words, and even more comforted when he bestowed a deep loving kiss on my lips, carrying me back to that world I had now become a part of whenever I was with him. 

But I had to pull away when I remembered something I had to ask him. Mom had reminded me of it earlier and I now needed to bring it up with him. Ash looked at me in confusion and I took in a deep breath before I started.

"Ash, I love you. I trust you more than anyone in the world, which is a lot for me to say after what you did to me two years ago. But I do, I've regained that trust in you, so I need you to be completely honest with me when I ask you this question, okay?" I said seriously.

Ash nodded. "I'm always honest with you, Mist."

"Okay." I paused and considered my words. "Last night, I think with the nerves and the anticipation and everything that goes with that, we forgot something important. _Very _important."

Ash looked lost at my words. "Um…"

"Ash, we forgot to use protection" I blurted out. His eyes went wide and I shrugged. "However, we both shouldn't be worried if that was your first time. You know it was mine, so this is where I need you to be 100% truthful. Was last night your first time?" 

"Um, yeah" Ash answered in a sort of daze.

"Okay then, we shouldn't have anything to worry about. We can't give each other STDs if we've never done it before. It's okay Ash, don't look so stunned" I laughed, trying to get him out of his shellshock. "I just had to ask. If I didn't, I'd never know if there was a chance of me catching something serious."

"Yeah yeah, I understand" Ash nodded. "God, that was so stupid! How the hell did we overlook it? It's only drilled into our heads every five seconds." He wasn't kidding. With AIDS now being considered an epidemic worldwide, it was an issue that never seemed to rest.

"Look, it's okay. Honestly. I'll probably still take a test to be sure, but it's okay" I said in reassurance. 

"Well then that's something I do have to apologise for. I should've known or remembered or something. Oh Mist, I'll never stop kicking myself for that" Ash sighed.

"Why? I just said it's okay, no biggie, let it go. I just wanted the confirmation, I didn't want to get you in a panic over it" I smiled. "So calm down. Look forward."

"Forward to what?" Ash asked. 

"Me coming to visit you every night for five weeks" I grinned. 

"How does that work with your pissed off Mom?"

"Let's just say I'll be owing my sisters big time by the end of the summer" I said. 

"Wow, I don't really remember them being that nice" Ash marveled.

"Neither do I" I laughed. "But we shouldn't wonder over it, we should just be grateful for it" I pointed out.

"Believe me Mist, I am" Ash said, and with that he initiated another kiss that was more prolonged than the one before it that had been interrupted by the thoughts in my head. This one was interrupted by the phone on Ash's right, and I pulled him back as he started to pull away.

"Leave it" I pleaded in a mumble.

"No can do, Mom's calling tonight" Ash informed me, and reached over to the phone. I smiled at the thought of Delia Ketchum, forever worried about her son. She'd probably have a heart attack if Ash didn't answer the phone, so I could understand why he wanted to take this call.

I leaned against his chest, closing my eyes in a happy daze before realizing that Ash wasn't really saying much. I opened my eyes to see his looking blankly ahead, and I also noticed that his whole body had gone tense since he'd picked up the phone. Sitting up to face him, he put the phone down and bit his lip before somewhat reluctantly meeting my eyes.

"Who was it?" I asked cautiously. 

"It wasn't Mom, that's for sure" Ash mumbled. "That was, um…the League."

"Oh for God's sake, what do they want now? You're on vacation, tell them to leave you alone! How did they even get your number? They shouldn't be calling you unless it's important…" I trailed off at my words when I noticed Ash's sad gaze. "Ash? What's wrong?"

"I have to go back" Ash quietly announced.

"Go back?" I whispered, my throat slowly filling with emotional cement. "Why?" I managed to croak out. 

Ash sighed and held me close, kissing the top of my head before breaking the news to me. "You know Lance, the dragon master?" he started. I nodded. Of course I knew Lance. He had visited our gym several times, and every pokémon trainer on earth looked up to him as both a human being and a trainer. "Today he…he was killed."

I couldn't keep in the gasp that had risen to my mouth and my eyes instantly filled with tears. Killed? Lance was _dead_? But he was too young to die! He had a wife, he had a seven-year old son, he was one of the world's best pokémon trainers, he wasn't supposed to die in the midst of all that!

"But…but how?" I sniffled.

"They didn't say much, something about a car crash. The whole League has shut down, but they need me to go back for the funeral and for a couple of meetings. They'll have to find a replacement since he was a part of the Elite" Ash explained. Oh man, the Elite Four would now have to change. The pokémon world would never be the same.

"Oh my God…Ash, that's…" I lost words and buried my head in his chest, crying silent tears. "I can't believe he's gone" I said in a muffled voice, trying to keep in my sobs.

"Neither can I" Ash said quietly. "They want me back by tomorrow. I'll have to get a morning flight. All the others are already there, I guess they're just waiting on me before they start anything."

"Then you have to go" I said unnecessarily. It was a no-win situation. Lance had prematurely been killed during the peak of his career, and now Ash was once again being ripped out of my arms, although that was really a paltry worry compared to what was now surrounding us. 

Ash had now gone frightenly quiet, vacantly staring at the blackened sea that was only barely distinguishable from the darkening skyline. Lance had been like the father Ash had never had, teaching him skills as both a pokémon trainer and as a person, and always believing that Ash was the one who had the edge to become the ultimate Master. It was a shock that, I had the feeling, would never truly absorb for him. 

Irony was a terrible thing. When we had just been dwelling on something so perfect, the prospect of being with each other every night for five weeks, something else had to come crashing around us. Something that was now shattering more than our plans. It was shattering lives, and the League itself, a whole community could now disintegrate. It was a scary thought, but the reality was, it had to be faced up to. Burying heads in sand never did anyone any good.

"I'll miss you so much, Misty" Ash finally spoke up, rubbing my arm and finally tearing his eyes away from the ocean to lock with my tear-filled ones. 

"I'll miss you too. Washbay won't have any meaning now" I sighed. "But it's not your fault, and it's way more important than a summer vacation. So when you go, just keep your mind on it."

"But I don't want to" Ash muttered. "I want to put it away, ignore it. It just seems too out of reach to be real. I was talking to him only two nights ago. How do you expect me to keep my mind on it?" He was starting to sound slightly angry, but I'd heard that this is what came along with grief. All I could do was try and reassure him, or just keep him from getting in a worse state of mind.

"I suspect that you'll keep your mind on it no matter what. And that's horrible for me to say cos I know there are other things you or anyone else for that matter would much rather have their minds on, but the truth is this is gonna be a huge thing to deal with. The public are gonna be stunned, the media's gonna go wild, and that's the last thing anyone needs mingling with grief" I said calmly. "It makes you feel trapped, like there's nothing else you can think of or hear of or talk about. But you're strong, Ash. I know you are. And despite these terrible circumstances and what you're about to go through, I can promise you that you'll get through it." Now I was the one making the promises. I just hoped they were promises I could keep.

"I hope to God you mean that, Mist. Cos I've only known for five minutes, and already I've never felt this lost in my whole entire life. Not when Giselle died, not when I lost you, nothing else compares to this incredible…this overwhelming feeling of just being lost" Ash said quietly.

"I know, I know" I said soothingly, holding him close and kissing his cheeks and lips. "But no matter how long it takes, you'll get to the other side, and while it'll still hurt, it'll get easier."

Ash nodded and we both went silent, our eyes directed to the sea and its gentle waves that would usually soothe the most troubled mind. But nothing would soothe Ash's mind until all of this was over with. I knew that for a fact, and all I could do was bear out the rest of the summer, praying and dreaming of the day when I would see him again and we'd be able to put this behind us.

But until then we had to deal with it. And for starters, Ash had to leave earlier than expected. As this thought once again crossed my mind, I held him tighter, savoring his presence and letting loose more silent tears. For Lance, for Ash, for myself. For anyone who was feeling remotely similar to what I was at that moment in time. 

A/N: Wowee! That was a random word to throw in there! And a random comment just for the books…in case you haven't read in my bio, there is a sequel to this fic! HURRAH! Thing is, I have no idea how it goes and I'm not even halfway through posting this one. So I guess we are planning in advance! Well I'm not, my co-author is (look Geo, I finally mentioned it! Haha) so yeah, letting you all know well ahead. Yay! I'm going to run now, but I'll be back soon with more chapters! Thankies _so _much for the reviews too!


	12. The Unexpected Return

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon. If I did I would be hiring the world's greatest doctors to rid my nausea. Blah.

A/N: Sorry about that disclaimer. I am sick (if you can't tell) so my advice today is - make sure chicken is alright before you eat it. Oh yuuuuck…well before I pass out I'm going to put this up, so happy reading and I'll shut up, lol. 

****

Chapter Eleven - The Unexpected Return.

All I could see was darkness, and this wasn't just visually. I had seen Ash off that morning as he had prepared to face the worst at Indigo Plateau. It hadn't been easy to watch him go, but I had to be thankful I had at least said goodbye. My sisters deceits had seen to our farewell. As a result of this, I was now curled up on the couch, my eyes cast down in my ball of despair and my head in a whirlwind.

I didn't bother to look up when I heard feet walking towards the lounge. I didn't care who saw me crying out my unbelievably raw pain. 

"What are you blubbering about now?" Ah Mom, always sympathetic and caring towards her youngest daughter, especially in a state as emotionally ravaged as mine.

"You wouldn't care" I mumbled, though that probably wasn't true. She would probably start dancing in the streets at the thought of Ash being as far away as possible. "But if you really must know, Ash left this morning. He had to for the funeral. His friend down on the beach told me" I added quickly, remembering my alibi of taking a walk on the beach.

"And you're crying? Misty, you should be leaping for joy. That boy has done nothing but destroy you and stress our family."

I sighed. I honestly couldn't be bothered with another argument that ran around in circles. I was about to interject when Mom beat me to it.

"Now you can go out and get a sensible boyfriend. One that's smart and handsome, that increases the value of our reputation" she said happily.

"Well Mom, I'm sorry but Ash is sensible. He's also smart and handsome among other things and on top of all that he cares about me. So I can't really see what more I could want" I shrugged. I was lucky enough to be saved from her lethal glare when the phone rang, and she answered it before any of my sisters could have a chance. 

After an irritable greeting, no doubt influenced by me, her face went blank, much like Ash's had done the previous day, and I started to slightly panic. What could have happened now? She hung up less than a minute later after minimal conversation on her part and turned to my curious eyes with that same vacant expression.

"Pack your bags. You're going home" she announced dryly.

"What?!" I gasped. "Why?"

"Your sisters have to go to Lance's funeral. All the Kanto gym leaders have to. Your father and I have also been invited and…so have you" Mom added reluctantly. 

"I have? I'm going to Lance's funeral?" I whispered in disbelief. I couldn't absorb the fact that they had even considered me to attend.

"Oh no you're not" Mom said sharply. "I know for a fact that that Ketchum boy will be there. Nowhere near me, I hope" she added in an undertone. I ignored her last remark and started my protest.

"But Mom, I've got to go! I looked up to Lance more than anyone in this family ever did! You said so yourself that talented or not I am still a Waterflower, so I am still a part of the gym and I've got to go!" I exclaimed. 

"There is only one reason you want to go and I know exactly what it is. Or who it is" Mom said coldly.

"No!" I yelled. "I honestly want to go and pay my last respects to Lance!" It would've sounded like a long shot of desperation but it was the truth. "What are you gonna say when people ask where I am?"

"It's not hard to say that you're sick. Misty, I don't want to hear anymore about it. You're not going and that's that. I'd rather have you alone at the gym than at the funeral near…him." Mom almost seemed to shudder at her own words. "Now, go and tell your sisters that we're leaving tonight. I have to call your father." 

Without another word I sulked towards Daisy's room and sharply knocked, even though I knew she would never do the same had our roles been reversed.

"Yo" I heard from within. I walked in and stopped at the sight in front of me. Incense clouds veiled the room, some kind of easy listening music was wafting from the sneakers connected to Daisy's discman, and Daisy herself was lying on her bed, eyes closed as total calm surrounded her.

"What the hell's gotten into you?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, waving away a puff of sandalwood. 

"Needed to chill out" Daisy explained, sitting up to face me. "So what's up?" she asked with a broad smile. _She won't be smiling when she hears this, _I thought gloomily.

"We've been requested to attend Lance's funeral, so we're going home tonight" I blurted out.

"WHAT?!" Daisy shouted. "We can't leave now! I've got plans tonight, I'm having too much of a good time."

"For God's sake Daisy, one of the greatest trainers ever just died and all you can think of is yourself! I'd give anything to go" I sighed.

"You're not going?" Daisy asked.

"Of course I'm not. Ash is gonna be there" I explained simply.

"Oh" Daisy muttered. "Well you can tell Mom that I absolutely _refuse _to leave Washbay."

"You can tell her yourself" I said, walking out and shutting the door behind me. Daisy would need those calming incense clouds now. "One down, two to go" I muttered to myself as I prepared to break the news two more times over.

*******

7pm. Violet's car was packed with luggage and one very irritated family. Mom was driving, Violet was in the front to make sure Mom wouldn't harm her 'baby,' which left the rest of us squashed in the back. The complaints ran rampant even before we'd left.

"This is, like, such a setup."

"Daisy! Your dirty shoe is on my backpack!"

"This trip is totally gonna take forever."

"Watch the steering wheel Mom, I polished it this morning!"

I had an inkling of sympathy for my mother that was slicing through the bitterness I had towards her. We can't have been much fun to hang around in a car with.

"If this complaining doesn't die down you can find your own way home" Mom threatened as she released the handbrake. The occupants of the car instantly went quiet, and I watched Washbay roll away from us with bullets of pain shooting me all over. In a way, I didn't want to let the summer or Washbay go. So much had happened there. I'd rediscovered myself, I'd been reunited with Ash and, apparently, I had lost my innocence.

I hadn't lost my innocence. That had happened a long time ago, even way back in the days when I briefly attended school. My mother had continually eroded my self-esteem and made me believe I was of little value. You can see how the contrast was when I met Ash - he thought I was the most valuable thing in the world. Well, until he got that title he did. 

I remembered those days of school with a hurt most other school kids would never experience. According to my mother, my grades were never good enough, my friends never passed her approval, even the songs I was taught and happily twittered back to her didn't make her beam proudly at me like the other moms did.

"Far too childish. Frogs never go 'galoop'" she had remarked after my almost in tune rendition of 'Galoop Went The Little Green Frog.' 

Childish? I was six years old! What did she want me to sing, the whole of 'Ave Maria'? 

Innocence was something that escaped me the moment I opened my mouth to speak. I was taught to speak and act like an adult. Not to go and play, get my knees dirty, engrain my clothes with irremovable substances like the other kids did.

And she thinks I lost my innocence when I lost my virginity. What a joke.

It was going to be a long drive, and with nothing to do and stops to make on the way it would be even longer. All I could do was frustrate myself with thoughts that ran around in disconnected circles, the same things making absolutely no sense, no matter how many times I ran over them.

I thought back to about ten years ago, when my mother hadn't been so concerned with the gym and my sisters had been too young to lay horrible words on me. Car trips like this would involve singing, laughing and endless games of 'I Spy.' Smiles would be reflected all around and silence would only come into the picture if fatigue overtook us. 

And now we had…this. The five of us not saying a word, refusing to look each other in the eye because of our own personal inner conflicts. It was a depressing atmosphere, and I would've given my right arm to have someone break the ice with a non-explainable laugh. 

Minor towns flashed past us in the increasing darkness and signs would occasionally reassure us that Cerulean was getting closer. It took five hours, nineteen minutes and two bathroom stops until we entered our hometown, absolutely shattered by the trip and the circumstances surrounding it. We pulled up at the gym at 12.22am to be greeted by Dad, a broad smile on his face as I ran up to him.

"Hi Daddy" I whispered, hugging him tight. I had missed him so much.

"Hey Misty" he replied quietly. He stroked my hair like he used to when I was much younger as I pulled away, and then he sighed before he next spoke. "Why did you do it, peachpie?" he asked sadly. For once I didn't cringe at the despised nickname. I had never seen such sadness in my father's eyes, and for an instant I felt a twinge of guilt for doing what I had done. But I knew I was justified.

"I love him, Dad. I honestly love him." I could've gone on but didn't get the chance when Mom interrupted our reunion.

"Hi hon, sorry we're so late" she said, planting a quick kiss on his lips. "You didn't have to wait up for us, you know."

"Couldn't sleep until I'd known you were all home safe" Dad explained. We all trudged inside and Mom immediately turned to my already wary sisters.

"Now, you three make sure you find something suitable, we'll be leaving for the plateau at about nine."

"Nine?!" Lily shrieked. "Oh please Mom, can we go in the arvo? We, like, totally need a sleep in."

"Pleeeeeease Mom?" Daisy chimed in, adding that puppy dog sparkle to her eyes that worked so well on our mother. In fact, the only time they had ever failed was that morning, when Daisy had, ahem, "absolutely refused" to leave Washbay. 

"Alright, we'll leave no later than two. Make sure you're ready or you'll catch the bus up there" Mom threatened.

"Oh gross. I'll be ready" Violet said. Snob. She wouldn't sit in a bus if her life depended on it.

"And Misty, you'll be looking through the vocational section of the paper tomorrow. I expect you to have made a few inquiries by the time we get back" Mom said severely. 

"Whatever" I sighed, suddenly fearing that I sounded like one of my sisters. Not in the mood for being yelled at, I followed my sisters upstairs, bade them goodnight and slowly opened my bedroom door. Not a thing had changed since I'd left it and I smiled at the welcoming familiarity of it. This had been my haven for two years, the silent comfort had been more than I could ever expect from my mother, and I flopped on my bed, staring vacantly at the ceiling.

"Yo Misty, can I come in?" Violet's voice came through the door and I sat up.

"Sure" I replied. The door opened a second later and before I had even seen Violet, my backpack had been cruelly flung on the floor with potent force.

"You left that in the car" she informed me.

"Oh, thanks" I said gratefully, picking up the bag and checking the contents for any damage Violet might have just inflicted.

"Hey Mist, are you okay? I mean, with everything going on" Violet suddenly asked.

"Mmm?" I looked up from my bag distractidly. "Oh yeah, um…well, guess I've had better days."

"Yeah" Violet nodded. "I'll give Ash a kiss hello from you if you want" she said mischievously.

"If you value your life you'll do no such thing" I said in a monotone.

"I was only kidding. Do you want to give me anything to pass on to him?" Violet asked. I slowly shook my head and bit my lip, missing him a hundred times more just thinking about him. "Okay. Sleep well" Violet farewelled.

"You too" I said quietly. With that she shut the door and I sighed as I stood up. God life was cruel. It had taken away such a great man from this world, one so great that the outpouring of grief was overwhelming. All over the news, pictures flashed of flowers carpeting the entrance to the Indigo Plateau headquarters and memorial services were being held in every town and city across Kanto.

Walking over to my window, I gazed down at the firefly display of lights that were dotted over the city. My city. This was home for me, and yet I felt an overwhelming emptiness at being here, like I didn't belong. It was ironic beyond belief. When my parents had announced that I was going to Washbay for the summer, I found it almost impossible to leave the gym. Now I wanted out. I don't know why, I wouldn't be any closer to Ash, nor would it bring Lance back, but I just wanted to get out of there.

Before I drew my curtains for the night, I kept my eyes locked on the view below me for a minute longer. I knew wishes and the mere emotional of wistfulness were pointless, maybe stupid, but I didn't feel like myself that night. I knew the words I next spoke would never reach who they were intended for, yet they strangely filled me with some sort of comfort.

"I love you, Ash Ketchum. I truly love you, and I'll never let anyone else tell me otherwise."

A/N: These chapters seem to be getting shorter…um, anyways, I can't say much cos not a lot is making sense, so buh byes to you all and next chapter up soon!


	13. Moving On, Crashing Down

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon.

A/N: I don't have much to say. So let's just read! Yay!

****

Chapter Twelve - Moving On, Crashing Down.

How could so much have changed in two and a half months? It was such a short time span for so much to be crammed into. And now in my current situation, I hardly had a moment to wonder what had happened to the thing I used to have so much of. Time.

I was now an office junior at a big law firm in the city. Yup, don't read that again, you read it right. I was an _office junior. _Don't ask how I landed that, fifteen is only barely the age to start working, let alone be shot straight up to a proper office setting. They must've been desperate. I couldn't complain about my work, it gave me a steady income and I got on well with everyone in the firm. I guess the only flaw was that I had to wear skirts. Every day.

"They're so much more professional" my boss, Marie, had told me on my first day. I couldn't argue with that one, every woman in the firm was wearing one, so I grudgingly went out on my lunch break and purchased the first skirts I had ever bought myself. 

Ash was still at the Indigo Plateau, still trying to sort out matters with the Elite Four now turned Three. I heard everything from him before the public was supposed to know through his very discreet emails and even the occasional letter when Mom and Dad were away at a conference or something similar. Things were not going smoothly up there, and I constantly urged him to go back to Pallet. He shouldn't have to deal with the plateau's problems.

For starters, the three that were left in the Elite were threatening to leave the competitions for fear of their safety. A few discoveries had been made since Lance's death, which had, at first, been branded an entire accident. Clues were now emerging that made it possible for a manslaughter or even murder to come into the picture. 

Plus since Lance's death, trainers had been reluctant to enter the tournament that was coming up in three months. The numbers had gone down considerably, and Ash was forever fretting about the future of Indigo Plateau. I sympathized and worried too, but I still urged him to go home. He had been there for over two months now, he was never needed that long, even during the competitions. 

It was one Friday evening when I wearily walked through the gym's front door at 5.45, throwing my handbag on the couch and myself afterwards. My Mom's head poked round from the kitchen and she flashed a smile in my direction. I had never seen her so happy.

"Hey Misty. How was work?" she asked cheerily.

"Boring" I replied simply. "And I _hate _these skirts" I complained, kicking off my shoes and trying to smooth out the creases in my skirt.

"Well you look much older with one on, you know. Marie tells me you're doing very well" Mom commented.

"Guess that's what you like to hear" I shrugged. I should've been in a better mood. It was the weekend, I'd been paid and Mom was being nice. What was there to be moody over?

My three sisters suddenly walked in from the hall that connected the gym to our house, hair dripping and towels limply hanging from their arms.

"Okay Mom, that's it, as of tomorrow I am so wearing a bathing cap" Daisy announced, throwing her towel in the washing basket dejectedly. "The chlorine kills my hair."

"Well I did suggest it, but you thought they were ugly" Mom pointed out.

"Maybe…" Daisy said vaguely. "What about you guys, are you gonna wear them?" she asked, turning to the other two.

"I dunno" Violet shrugged.

"Ew yuck, no way sister. Those things are, like, totally gross" Lily said in disgust. She had finished speaking when Dad walked through, through shutting up the gym and sat himself on the couch near me.

"I don't think you should be wearing skirts like that, Misty. You look much too old for your own good" Dad 

said disapprovingly. 

"What, do you think I enjoy wearing this crap?" I asked rhetorically.

"Mmm. Never did think you were one for girly things. You never used to plait Barbie's hair, you used to cut it or spike it" Dad grinned. I smiled back at him, my mind playing over the memories that came when I was put in the same room as a doll.

"Okay guys, dinner's ready!" Mom shouted from the kitchen, though she didn't really need to shout. She was only a few meters away.

I slowly stood up and walked towards the dining table, sitting down between Lily and Violet. My plate was heaped up with a much too large serving of pasta and I winced. I honestly didn't feel hungry, and was about to say so when Dad summoned us to all to silence as the news started up. The television was visible from where I was sitting and I listened with interest to the first story.

"Our leading story tonight, a man has been arrested in Lavender Town after an inquiry discovered that he was responsible for the death of Lance the Dragon Master. The man is due to be charged with murder or manslaughter."

"What?" Daisy spluttered on her drink.

"Murder?!" Violet shrieked. 

"Shhh!" I hissed. Ash had said this could happen. This is why the members left were concerned about their safety. 

"It was discovered that the car Lance was driving had had its brakes intentionally cut, and further investigations traced back to the man in question. He has been granted name suppression until his second hearing in a week's time. A full trial is expected to start in approximately four to six weeks. For Kanto National News, I'm Janet Harris." The report ended but the thoughts swirling round my head didn't.

He was _murdered. _The whole Pokémon world would be turned topsy-turvy thanks to this. The Elite Three could ultimately be disbanded, the whole structure of the Indigo Plateau could crumble to the ground…Ash could be forced to go to Johto.

He had told me about that too. If the plateau all shut down, he would be reinstated to the nearest league, which was Johto. Oh God, I couldn't cope with that. Johto was a whole other land, a whole different country. At least if he was at Indigo I knew he was in the same country as me, not completely out of reach.

Now that this news has been confirmed, I felt sick to the soles of my feet. It had never been an accident and it had taken two months for the truth to come to light. I must've gone pale or something because Dad suddenly spoke to me in evidently worried tones.

"Misty? Are you alright?"

I shook my head in a frenzy, quickly ridding the nausea that had been raging through me and turned to Dad with a smile. "I'm fine, really. I'm okay." Dad nodded, seemingly satisfied with my response, and we all dove into our dinner.

Watching me eat, it would've been hard to believe that I had felt sick only minutes ago. I managed to devour my whole plate of pasta (which was sorta soggy, but nobody's perfect. Especially not Mom) plus half of Lily's which she left over, salad, two bread rolls and a can of soda. After consuming all this I only just felt full, and Mom eyed me strangely as she cleared away my plate. 

"Just watch what you're eating, Misty. Flab is not to be desired" she commented lightly.

"I know Mom" I sighed wearily. "Hey Dad, I know you locked up the gym and all but do you think I could go for a quick dip?"

"Won't you get cramp?" Dad asked.

"Nah. By the time I get changed I'll be out of the danger zone" I said as I stood up. 

"Alright, but make sure you lock up afterwards" Dad reminded me.

"Don't worry, I will" I called back as I started walking up the stairs. I gratefully released my hair from the trap of a French plait I had painstakingly pulled it into that morning, got changed in record time and ran down the stairs to the gym.

It was awing when it was empty. Thousands of spectator seats empty, the water as still as the atmosphere that surrounded it, the diving boards almost suspended in mid-air…

This had once scared me so much. When I was younger, I could barely put a foot on the ladder that lead up to the top of the diving board. Now here I was, almost standing on top of the world, looking down at the glass-like surface of the water that I was about to crack.

My dive was almost perfect, but something suddenly hit me as I was submerged. Fear. Since I had nearly drowned, the feeling of water surrounding me completely must have turned against me, as I had once loved it so much. All I wanted was air, oxygen, no matter how many times I told myself I was a good swimmer and that there was no current to pull me under.

Finally my head reached the surface and I breathed in the air I had craved so badly. My heart was going a thousand beats a minute, my only relief for relaxation was when I lay on my back for confirmation of no currents. It sounds silly, but the incident at Washbay had really scared me. Amazing how a single moment like that can alter the beliefs one has followed their whole life.

I lazily swum a few laps of freestyle, considering I struggled with butterfly and breastroke always killed my arms. The fear of the water didn't completely subside, but it was close to it. I tried to copy a few of my sisters' synchronized swimming movements and then decided I looked like too much of an idiot in the process, so instead stopped and continued slowly lapping the pool.

It was so calm. Such a contradiction to my entire life here at this gym. 

With a heavy sigh, I swum over to the pool edge and crawled out, immediately making use of the towel I had brought with me as the air cooled my skin. With a somewhat reluctant glance back at the gym, I walked back through to the house and locked up.

* * * 

Monday. Another monotonous weekday in the life of me. It was 8 o'clock in the morning when I boarded my bus into town with a yawn.

"One child please" I said flatly, handing over the exact change as I had become accustomed to doing.

"You're a child?" the driver asked with a raised eyebrow. I sighed as I showed him my youth I.D. Every 

morning I had this minor glitch about my age with the bus drivers. Dad obviously hadn't been kidding when he said the skirts made me look older.

I sat down at the front, placing my handbag on the vacant seat next to me to let everyone else know that I was now inaccessible. No one could shake me out of my thoughts during a twenty minute bus drive and I preferred it that way too. This was one of the few times of the day that I could think to myself without anyone interrupting me.

Today I was solely focused on Lance and the complications that had now arisen from his murder. His poor wife, she must've been absolutely torn to shreds. She had only given one public interview since her husband had died and she had broken down in the middle of it. Not that anyone could blame her, of course.

Suddenly I knew why I wanted Ash out of there so badly. If Lance had died at the hands of a sore loser, one who had just had a casual battle and had stormed out after a defeat, then Ash was prone to the same thing. I could see why the Elite were so worried. So why wasn't Ash? I sure as hell was. I'd email him at work about it.

Looking out the window, I noticed the famous Cerulean hill coming into view. It was hell to climb over on either foot or by a vehicle, but it was the only way into the central city. We slowly began our ascent, though I didn't really take much notice until we got to the top. 

I tried to keep my breakfast down as the bus rolled downwards, but things didn't improve when I slightly started panicking at the speed of our descent. I couldn't tell myself I was being silly either. I could see other passengers nervously glancing out the windows, wondering if this was normal, and halfway down I didn't even have to think. I knew. The driver was panicking and so were most of the passengers, and by the time the bus had crashed into both cars and the side of the hill, I knew we were all thinking the same thing. This was the end. We were going to die a death similar to Lance's. It was my last thought before the world around me turned that fatal colour of black.

* * * *

Was I dead? I felt like I had when I'd nearly drowned in Washbay, but this time I was in way more pain, 

especially in my left leg. I couldn't open my eyes though I could hear faint noises, and there was something resting on top of my hand. The whole situation did nothing but confuse me.

"Mist? Come on Misty, I felt you move your hand, I know you can open your eyes."

What? Who was talking? Maybe I was in hell, maybe that explained all the pain that was coursing through me. My eyes felt incredibly glued together but I found some sort of strength to finally open them to be greeted by a blurry figure on my left.

"Oh my God Misty, you did it. I knew you could." 

Yeah, and I knew that voice anywhere. He had traveled all the way from Indigo Plateau…just to see me wake up? I was still incredibly dazed and slowly turned my head to get a better view. I knew now that it wasn't just my confused state, that Ash was really beside me, that he had really left the league to see me, and that the thing that was resting on my hand was his hand. He was smiling at me, almost in pride, but I couldn't find any strength to do the same.

"Ash" I croaked out, shocked by my groggy voice that was barely above a whisper.

"It's okay Mist, I'm here, you don't have to worry about anything" he said soothingly.

"Why…did you come here to see me wake up?" I asked.

"You don't remember the crash?" Ash asked with a raised eyebrow. Oh God, now it was coming back. That crash, the people panicking, the huge impact that had been the last thing I had felt. 

"I do now" I sighed, slowly feeling strength seeping back into me. 

"It killed thirteen people. I'd say you're the luckiest person alive but at the moment I'm feeling like that myself" Ash smiled through the tears in his eyes. "You've been unconscious for three days. I wasn't sure if you would ever wake up."

"Thirteen people?" I whispered. Ash nodded and now tears were flooding my own eyes. "Those poor people, just on their way to work…" I trailed off and bit my lip at the thought. I needed to change the subject and Ash had given me the opportunity to do this. "If I've been knocked out for three days, how long have you been here?"

"About six hours after you were admitted. I saw the crash on the news, and then I don't know how she did it, but Violet managed to call me and tell me that you were in it. I was so worried, I didn't know how I'd find you or if you'd survive…" Ash trailed off and squeezed my hand. "But you're awake now and that's all that matters. Your sisters and parents are back at the gym."

"How did you get past Mom?"

"Your sisters text message me when she's coming in and I take a back exit before she can get here" Ash grinned. "Devious or what?"

"You'll get yourself in a lot of shit" I smiled weakly. 

"Ah, but won't it be worth it?" Ash asked rhetorically. It was at this point a doctor walked in, holding a clipboard, and widened his eyes in surprise at the sight of me conscious and talking to Ash.

"Well Miss Waterflower, it certainly is nice to see you awake" he said as he walked over to my bed. "I'm Doctor Peterson, I've been watching your progress over the last three days. You are one very lucky young lady."

"In more ways than one" I said softly, locking eyes with Ash again.

"There is a bit of bad news to your survival though. You've broken your left leg in two places, which explains the cast you've got on now. You'll have to keep that on for another four to six weeks, depending on how well it heals. But apart from that, I think you'll be able to head on home in a couple of days" Dr Peterson explained.

"A couple of days? I want out now" I complained. I hated hospitals. They were so desolate, the only happy place, it seemed, was the maternity ward, and even then tragedies took place. 

"Misty, you have no say in the matter. I have to keep you here. If you leave now you could end up worse off than you already are" Dr Peterson said severely. 

"That's right, you listen to the doc" Ash piped in. "He knows more than you remember."

"Okay okay" I conceded weakly. I knew there was no point in arguing. 

"In that case I'd better go inform your parents that you're awake" Dr Peterson.

"No wait!" I said rather forcefully. The strength in my vocal chords was obviously returning at this point. "Can you just gimme half an hour or so? My…" I paused to consider my words. "My friend here has flown from, uh…all the way from Cinnabar, and I haven't seen him in ages. Can't we just catch up?" I pleaded through my lies and the doctor gave me a slight shrug of his shoulders.

"As long as this young man doesn't mind having to observe a blood test, I'll advise your mother in half an hour then." With that Dr Peterson walked out, shutting the door behind him.

"B-b-blood test?" Ash stuttered.

"Not a big fan of Mr Needle huh?" I asked with a quiet laugh.

"Not in the slightest" Ash shuddered. "However, as your dedicated friend from Cinnabar, I'll stay until your mother decides to make a guest appearance" he grinned. "You know, like you said, we have some catching up to do."

"But you sent me all those emails, what could we -" I was cut off when Ash bent down and kissed me with all the love that had been absent from both of us for nearly three months. I smiled into his eyes as he pulled away. "Oh, _that _kind of catching up."

"Well, that and I'm worried about your well-being. How are things holding up?" Ash asked worriedly.

"Alright actually. Mom's being civil at the moment cos I'm doing well at work, and Dad, well I never have any problems with Dad. What's really eating me up is the fact that you won't leave Indigo when it's just been revealed that Lance was killed by an angry trainer. Do you not realise that you're at risk up there?"

"Of course I do" Ash replied. "But I'm well looked after, don't worry about it. I'm only staying up there another two weeks or so, and then I won't be back for another three months for the tournament."

"_Please _be careful, Ash. For God's sake, I worry about you so much" I confessed.

"Yeah, how do you think I felt when I heard about this crash? Look, I don't wanna keep you awake worrying about things like this, you need your rest" Ash announced, standing up to leave.

"No, don't go" I weakly pleaded. 

"Sorry babes, I don't want the opportunity to run into your mother. I don't trust doctors, that one might have already called her" Ash cringed. "You should really be worrying about the day I encounter your mom again. I'm worrying about that myself."

I smiled slightly. "Will you come back tomorrow?"

"Once I get the all go from one of your sisters, I sure will. You just rest and get better, okay?" Ash almost sounded like he was ordering it and I nodded. "Okay. Love ya." He bent down and gave me one final kiss before he turned to leave.

"I love you too" I said weakly as he walked away. I saw him smile before he opened the door and left. Little did we know how much we wouldn't want tomorrow to come once it did. 

A/N: Well! I'm speechless! This is unusual for me…so I'll make a run and assure you guys that the next chapter will be up soon. ^_^


	14. Bombshells

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon. Is anyone else getting really sick of those disclaimers? I sure am…

A/N: Okay fine readers, today's chapter is slightly short with something that is probably gonna result in a couple of flames but oh well, you get that. Here it is, let's read on!

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Chapter Thirteen - Bombshells

The next day I had convinced myself that I had fully recovered, but the doctors thought otherwise and said I had to stay one more day. I was sitting up, I was eating, I didn't see any reason to stay. Alas, it is impossible to argue with a doctor, so I stayed.

My cast was slowly becoming decorative, thanks to my sisters and their messages of what I think were sympathy and caring. Couldn't quite tell.

"Nice one sis, this is impressive! Luv Lily."

"Hurry up and get out of that hospital, it's way too sterile. Violet xxoo."

"At least you're not swimming anymore, that wouldn't have been good. This thing is ugly but at least it helps. DaIsY." She honestly did write her name like that, which both amused and puzzled me.

I was sitting up, gazing out my room's sole window at the mingle of Autumn colours when Ash walked in, only ten minutes after my mother had left. I knew I would never be so grateful to my sisters again in my entire life.

"Hey Ash" I greeted him as he bent down to hug me.

"Hi sickie. I bought you these." Ash placed a box of chocolates on my bedside table and my eyes instantly lit up.

"Oh my God, thank you Ash, you have no idea how badly I need proper food" I said gratefully. I was preparing to dive into the sugar infested delictables but was interrupted when the same doctor from the previous day walked in, holding a clipboard and wearing the same coat as when I had last seen him. In fact, the only thing that was different about him was the expression on his face. It was solemn, almost grave, a look that sent panicked shivers up my spine.

"Hey doc" I tried to say cheerfully. My nervous anticipation only increased when he sat down at the foot of my bed and sighed heavily.

"Misty…something's come back from that blood test we took yesterday." The words froze my throat over and I felt Ash squeeze my hand. "You might not want to stay for this" Dr Peterson added to Ash.

"No, Ash can stay. Whatever you have to say to me you have to say to him" I said solidly.

"I'm suspecting that, actually" Dr Peterson mumbled. "Now, before I tell you what's happened I just need to ask you a few questions. Remember, everything you tell me is completely confidential, okay?" I nodded, butterflies breeding in my stomach. "How old are you, Misty?"

"I'll be sixteen in two weeks."

"Okay. Have you noticed anything strange happening to you lately, mood swings, weight gain…?"

"Oh yeah, I've gained a bit of weight but only cos I've been eating so much. Mom has started scolding me for it" I laughed. Dr Peterson didn't laugh with me and I eyed him with anxious eyes. "Please, just tell me what's going on."

"A few more questions first, Misty. I'm really sorry but I'm afraid I'll have to dig into your personal life a bit here. Do you remember the last time you got a period?" I could see Ash turn red at the word and I wracked my brain for an accurate answer.

"Must have been four or five months ago. Yeah, it was before summer. My periods have never been regular, I once went six months without one" I explained.

"I see. I know this is extremely personal and I'm truly sorry" Dr Peterson apologised.

"It's okay, let's just get it over with" I said.

"Can you tell me how many times you've had sex and with whom? I can only hope there aren't too many for you to remember" Dr Peterson grinned, making me laugh and slightly lifting the mood.

"No there was only one guy. Him" I smiled, indicating Ash and grasping his hand tighter. "It only happened once, over the summer."

"And I presume you used some sort of protection?" The question caused my eyes to be directed to the ground and I inhaled deeply before I answered in a trembling voice.

"N-no." I paused and eyed the surprised doctor with a vacant expression. "It was stupid, I know, and I don't know why we…" I trailed off as a realisation hit me. I knew what had happened now. All these questions the doctor was asking, it was obvious even to me. Well, at least I thought so. My eyes went wide and I felt my whole body automatically tense up at what I was about to say. "I've caught something, haven't I?"  


"Well, not really -"

"Oh no, no! What have I got, HIV, clamydia, ovarian cancer? That's it isn't it? I've got cancer, oh my God, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna -"

"Miss Waterflower, please, calm down. You do not have an STD, which the both of you should be eternally grateful for. Nor do you have cancer of any kind. However, you have something, and it's going to affect the both of you for the rest of your lives" Dr Peterson said seriously.

"Come on, just tell us then! How bad can it be?" I asked. Looking back, I cringe at how naïve it sounded and really was. 

"Misty, you're nearly three months pregnant. Now you tell me how bad that is."

Never before had a single sentence made my whole world crash, burn, dissolve and disintegrate all at the same time, so I wasn't quite prepared when the doctor announced this as bluntly as he did. I literally fell back on my pillow, as if the shock was physical and had just smacked me right between the eyes. Ash's hand had now left mine and out of the corner of my eye I could see his face the complete opposite to his name.

"P-p-preg…pregnant?" I whispered. Dr Peterson nodded and I tried to regain some sort of normal breathing. "No, I can't be, there's just no way."

"Why ever not? You had unprotected sex, it was a risk you chose to take" Dr Peterson said matter-of-factly.

"We didn't _choose _to take it!" I said forcefully.

"You chose to have unprotected sex, didn't you?" I fell quiet at the doctor's rhetorical question and closed my eyes, as if the blackened world would be my escape from this horrible reality. Fifteen-year olds didn't get pregnant. It just wasn't done. This was soap opera material, not my own life material. I suppose the fates and the gods and whoever else saw to my life had it in for me somehow, or got a kick out of seeing me miserable.

But I had no one to blame here but myself. I knew that clear as day. Ash had a part in it too, but I could've said something, I could've clicked my brain into gear. 

"Hey hold up, I heard an old wives tale that it's impossible to fall pregnant on your first time" Ash finally spoke up. He'd been deathly quiet. Not that I could blame him. 

"Well kid, you proved that to be exactly what it is" Dr Peterson said.

"A load of shit" Ash muttered.

"Yup." This doctor wasn't exactly sympathetic or anything, he wasn't lifting my spirits at all. I don't think anyone could have at that point. "I feel sorry for you guys, you're only kids yourselves. You're both from fantastic families, I can tell, but it'll be hard for them to see this as just a small glitch. I can tell your parents if you like, or if you'd rather tell them yourselves you can."

"No, I'll tell Mom" I whispered.

"Yeah, same here" Ash added.

"Okay, if that's what you want to do."

"So doctor…where exactly do we go from here?" Ash asked timidly. It was a question that was playing on my mind too, but my dried up mouth was preventing me from speaking the words.

"Well I know it seems like all hope is lost, but you do have some options here. It's not too late to have an abortion, which is what a lot of teenagers in your situation seem to do. But time is running out for that, in a month it will be too late to undergo the procedure."

"I don't know…" I said uncertainly. "I can't really fathom the thought of taking a child's life when it hasn't even begun."

"Fair enough. Remember, you've still got time to think about this. The other option is adoption, which is what most pregnant teens go for next. You'd be able to interview prospective foster parents and choose who you would want to raise your child."

Adoption. To me, that was defined as giving up a part of myself to complete strangers. But I knew there was very little choice here. I was fifteen, I was pregnant, and I had been in enough hot water with Mom already. 

"We'll probably have to do that" I said softly, choking back the tears in my eyes. 

"You've still got a while to sort out your options. I daresay your parents will want a say in this too" Dr Peterson said as he stood up. "I'll give you two some time to yourselves. I'm sorry to be the bearer of such bad news." And with that the doctor walked out, seemingly unperplexed by the whole thing. Then again, he wasn't the one who had to deal with this. We had to.

"Oh God" Ash mumbled, burying his head in his hands. "Oh God, God, what the hell do we do?"

"I don't know" I whispered. It was the most honest answer I could give him.

"I'm sorry Mist, I'm so sorry, I'll never forgive myself for this -"

"Oh shut up Ash!" I suddenly snapped, causing him to reel. "Here you are, tying to be all noble and apologetic, when we both know the truth - we are _both _to blame for this and apologies don't really prioritise in a situation like this!"

"Christ, remind me to never try to rectify myself to you again" Ash muttered.

"Don't mock me, Ash!" I yelled.

"Well you're asking for it when you won't even accept a damn apology" Ash said coldly. 

"I…I can't…" I was starting to lose my grip on sanity and finally broke down into sobs. No one could expect me to accept this right away. All I could do was lie flat on my back, tears mercilessly rolling down my cheeks.

"Oh Misty, shhh, shush. I'm sorry, you gotta let me apologise this time, I'm sorry" Ash apologized, enveloping me in a hug I felt I couldn't let go of. "We've got to stick together through this. Neither of us can get through this on our own." He slightly pulled away and wiped away the tears that refused to stop their path. "I love you, and I'm just as scared as you right now. I've never had to deal with anything like this before in my life."

"Neither have I" I managed to get out between sobs. "I'm so scared Ash, Mom is gonna…a baby…what am I gonna…"

"I'm thinking exactly the same things you are. Look, I'm gonna have to make you a few promises again, and you know I can keep them. First up, straight out and always, I'm gonna be here for you. This isn't gonna be easy for the both of us and it won't get any easier if we don't have the other to lean on. So I'm here for you, okay?" He eyed me seriously and I nodded. "Okay. Part of that promise kinda goes into the next one. When you get home, I'll be with you when you tell your mom."

"No Ash, you can't, she won't listen to you. I have to tell her" I said.

"What, and act like this is all your fault? No Misty, I'll be with you."

"But what about the League?"

"They can wait. They'll have to. We get time off for family emergencies, and this is one hell of an emergency, don't you think?" Ash asked rhetorically. I nodded again and waited for him to go on. "Also, I'll try and figure something out where I can still see you without your mom going ape. You know I'll wanna check up on you."

"I know" I smiled. "Don't go to so much trouble. We just have to keep our heads high and hope that we can come out on the right side of this."

"Yeah, but coming out on the right side of this doesn't magically happen by itself. We're gonna have to work to survive these next couple of months, but I know, despite how terrible this all is, that we can get through it. You have to believe it too" Ash said. 

"I will in time. So much is just going on in my head, and I don't understand any of it. Why were we so stupid?"

"Well you can't call all of it stupid. For one thing it's brought me back here" Ash grinned.

"I suppose that's an upside."

"You suppose?!" Ash asked, sounding teasingly offended.

"Well no actually. If something good has to come out of this, that would be it" I agreed. He kissed me again after hearing this, and through the love and hope that kiss portrayed, I could also feel the determination and reassurance that was surging throughout him. I believed him. I just wished I could believe myself when I said the same words.

A/N: Eeek! It was a biggie! And apart from that I've run out of things to say, except thanks for reading and reviewing, and another chapter on the way. Woohoo!


	15. When Grown Men Cry

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon.

A/N: Yay, another chapter! THE REACTIONS! GASP! Thanks so much for the awesome reviews so far, they are such a lift to my days, and now we continue the fic! Woohoo!

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Chapter Fourteen - When Grown Men Cry.

It was another two days before I finally found myself able to face up to Mom and the news I had to break to her. Calling Ash and asking him to come over was the easy part. I just didn't know how to prepare myself for the most important part of it all.

I had been home for a day and a bit, getting around on crutches thanks to my "impressive" (as Lily still labeled it) break. I hated the crutches, they slowed me down so much, and I continually got more than a tad frustrated going up and down the stairs. 

But now I didn't have time to think of my crutches, that were leaning against a wall in my room. I was sitting on my bed with Ash, him silently holding my hand as we waited for the fatal slamming of the front door that would indicate Mom's arrival back from the supermarket. 

That finally came to pass fifteen minutes after Ash had arrived, and as the door slammed my head shot up to meet his eyes.

"She's home" I whispered in a panic.

"I know Mist" Ash said quietly. I knew he was trying to keep a cool exterior, but I also knew that he was just as scared as I was.

"Misty! I'm home!" Mom called out. I could hear her dropping the supermarket bags on the kitchen bench and checking the phone for messages.

"I know Mom!" I called back. The sound of her footsteps coming up the stairs implanted a new kind of fear in me, like each step she took was an injection of anxiousness and fear mingled together, and I squeezed Ash's hand, silently praying for some kind of miracle.

"How are you getting on with your…" She stopped herself as she walked in, literally turning white at the sight of Ash sitting next to me. No words transpired for a moment as I waited for someone to speak. "What is he doing here?" Mom demanded to know. 

"Um, Mom, we kinda have something to tell you" I started. 

"Oh God, don't put this on me Misty. That boy stresses me enough being outside my house let alone in it, so if you think for a _second _that he can stay because he's desperately in need of accommodation or whatever, you can think again, young lady!"

"MOM!" I shouted. I hated it when she jumped to conclusions, especially in a situation as serious as this. "Please, it's nothing like that. But it is important. You might wanna sit down."

"Is it that bad?" Mom asked wearily as she seated herself opposite us in my desk chair.

"Um, I guess so" I said nervously. 

"Before Misty goes on, Mrs Waterflower, I just want you to know that this is as much my fault as it is hers" Ash spoke up.

"I wouldn't be surprised" Mom muttered, not meeting his eyes for a second. 

"Okay, well…you remember at Washbay how you found us…you know…" I mumbled, indicating myself and Ash. 

"Like I could forget" Mom groaned. 

"Well, something's kinda come outta that and I…I, um, I don't know how to break it to you" I stuttered, staring at the ground.

"Come on Misty, don't you dare put this off in front of me. I'm your mother, I have a right to know" Mom pointed out. Her voice was already scaring the shit out of me, I could only imagine what it would be like once I actually told her.

"Mom, I'm pregnant" I finally whispered. The whole room was engulfed in a stony silence and Ash's reassuring squeeze on my hand did nothing to calm my nerves. I slowly looked up, scared of Mom's reaction, which was that of a vacant stare in my direction. "I'm so sorry Mom, I never thought this would happen, I never wanted it to…"

I trailed off as I saw her slowly stand up, that blank expression still etched on her face. I was frozen in silence by this expression, one I had never encountered before. Sure it was blank, but there was something…chilling about it. Something that made me look up at her towering figure in a frightened awe. No amount of apologies would rectify this.

"I'm sorry" I whispered, still looking up at her. But this wasn't enough, as I knew it wouldn't be, and the next thing I knew I felt a hard impact hit my cheek, an impact so hard I fell back on my bed. It took me a moment to realise she had slapped me, that my cheek was raw and stinging from the blow, and that the tears forming in my eyes were from both the physical and emotional pain that had hit me in that moment. Mom had never slapped me before. She had yelled and threatened and cursed, but she had never physically slapped me.

"Misty!" Ash exclaimed, bringing his hand up to my stinging cheek with the most concerned expression on his face. "Mist, are you okay?" he asked quietly. I couldn't reply. It was like the slap had knocked all sort of speech out of me. I just stared up at the ceiling, feeling a tear trickle down my cheek but not bothering to wipe it away. 

Mom was still standing by my bed, looking down on me with no remorse or shock on her face at all. Just pure anger dominating every inch of her being. Ash turned to her, a mask of anger also temporarily substituting his nerves.

"With all due respect Mrs Waterflower, you had no right to do that to your own daughter!" Ash exclaimed, standing up to face her.

"I had every right to! She's so bloody stupid, she hasn't got a clue what's coming to her, maybe that will knock some sense into her!" Mom yelled.

"Well you shouldn't just take it out on her. This was my fault too, I am as much to blame for this as she is, maybe more so" Ash said. _Don't, Ash_ I silently pleaded. He had no idea what he was getting himself into.

"You're right, you are. And since you care about her so very much, you won't mind having to help her find a place she can stay, since she won't be staying here" Mom said sarcastically. 

"You're kicking her out?" Ash asked. It was as if I had suddenly vanished into thin air, and I slowly sat up, not quite comprehending the words.

"You think she deserves to stay? After all she's put me and our family through? This is the final straw. I will not have my fifteen year old daughter going through an illegitimate pregnancy under this roof. She can learn about the real world, since this is giving her a huge kick into it" Mom announced.

"You really want me to leave?" I whispered.

"I don't want you to leave, I need you to leave. If you care about the reputation of this family, of the well-being of everyone here, you will leave. In fact, you don't have a say in the matter" Mom said coldly. "I am your mother and I am legally entitled to tell you what to do."

"But…but where will I go?" I asked meekly.

"That's not my problem. You put yourself in this mess, you can face the consequences. Get that boy out of my house as soon as possible, I'm going to call your father." And with that she swung around and strode out of my room, slamming the door behind her as she did. I sat quivering on my bed as Ash sat down beside me, biting his lip and looking at the ground.

"Well that didn't go according to plan" he mumbled.

"She's…k-kicking me out" I stuttered. "I've got nowhere…no one will…" 

"It's okay Mist, I'll sort this out" Ash said soothingly as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "Maybe she just needs some time to cool off."

"No she doesn't" I shook my head. "She'll never get over this, I'll never be allowed back. She's dead serious about all of this."

"Come on, it's no good you staying here. Let's go for a walk, I'll try and figure something out." Ash stood up and grabbed my crutches before helping me up. I weakly leaned against the crutches as we walked out and slowly made our way down the stairs, avoiding meeting Mom's furious eyes as she talked to Dad. 

Poor Dad. I would never mean to hurt him. He was going to be absolutely shattered when he heard this, because he had always been so proud of me, no matter what happened. But I somehow got the feeling that he would not be proud of this in the slightest.

As soon as we walked out the front door the stares started. The world's youngest Pokémon Master was out walking with the youngest Waterflower sister. The gossip would run rampant before the truth was even revealed, and even when the truth was revealed it would probably be better than the gossip itself.

"Um, know somewhere kinda quiet?" Ash asked, noticing the glances and the excited whispers.

"Yup, I can arrange that" I replied. I lead the way to a place in Cerulean that very few people had heard of and that even less knew I had heard of. Even my parents didn't know about my special corner away from the world. 

It wasn't much. There was a canopy of trees shielding the sky, an occasional bird flying past, but to me it was a different world. A small section cut away from the Cerulean forest, covered by bush and plants that made me invisible to the rest of the world. There was a small lake, but it was only knee deep, and I chose a spot of grass near the lake to lie down and stare up at the ceiling of trees.

"What is this place?" Ash asked as he sat next to me.

"It's my place" I said, closing my eyes and taking in the few sounds that surrounded us. "No one knows I come here. I found it when I was about eight."

"It's nice. I can see why you like it" Ash smiled. He intertwined his fingers with mine and I smiled up at him, even though tears were still glazing my eyes.

"What are we gonna do?" I asked quietly. 

"First of all we are going to keep our heads high and our nerves calm. We can't let fear bring us down this early" Ash said sensibly. I nodded and he kissed my forehead before he next spoke. "And now I am gonna ring Mom."

"You're going to ring Delia?" I asked in shock, now sitting up to face him. "Are you sure you wanna tell her right now?" 

"Putting it off would be worse, Mist" Ash pointed out as he started dialing out the numbers on his cellphone. He was right, but I was once again ravaged by nerves as the phonecall started. I couldn't hear Delia, but I could pick up enough to understand what she might have been saying.

"Hi Mom…yes, I'm fine, do you hafta ask me that every time I call?" Ash laughed. There was a silence and Ash smiled at the words that were going through his ears. "Well I do have a reason to call and it's really quite serious. Um, Mom, you know how at Washbay I met up with Misty again…yes yes, I do, I really do" he smiled wider, looking at me as he did. "Well we've just found out…um, I was with her yesterday, after the crash…no no, she's alright, she's only broken her leg. But they discovered something else. Mom she's 

nearly three months pregnant and I'm the only one who can be the father."

There was now a huge pause and I gulped, dreading that Delia would be ranting and raving at the son she loved so much. I started to think back to the times when Delia would welcome me with open arms and a cheery smile. I swore I was never going to see that again.

"Yeah…she's fine, she's right here beside me…I dunno." Ash wrinkled his nose at the last two words before listening intently to his mother again. "Her Mom just kicked her out" he said solemnly. There was another long pause, one that almost killed me with the possibilities of what she could be saying.

It was about half a minute later that Ash turned to me with a broad grin and gave me a thumbs up sign. This only caused me to frown in confusion. What was he looking so happy about?

"Uh-huh…yeah, okay…we'll say a day or two, I really don't want her hanging round her mom much longer…are you sure…thanks so much Mom, thank you…okay, well I'll give you a call later. Love you too." The call ended and I looked at him with curiosity almost radiating from my eyes.

"I bet she hates me" I said glumly.

"Nooo, quite the contrary actually" Ash said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "She's invited you to come live with us. Well, invited probably isn't the right word…more like calmly and kindly commanded."

"What?!" I exclaimed in disbelief. "In Pallet Town? She wants me to get in her way for the next six months?"

"She loves you like you were her own daughter. I told her about your mom and she's so worried she wants you up there as soon as possible" Ash announced.

"Oh my gosh, really?" I asked breathlessly.

"She's not the only one who wants you to go" Ash grinned, planting a small kiss on my lips. I blinked through the tears in my eyes and shakily exhaled before I next spoke.

"Thank you, Ash."

"Huh? For what? Breaking your heart over and over, winding us up in this situation, stressing your family…" Ash trailed off.

"No." I shook my head as I wrapped my arms around him and leant against his shoulder. "Thank you for being the one person who understands me. Thank you for teaching me how to be strong and true to myself. But most importantly, thank you for returning the love I feel for you, no matter what the situation."

"Miss Waterflower, it is no trouble at all" Ash said softly.

We stayed by the lake a little while longer, just holding each other and savoring this quiet time. No doubt in the next few months peace and quiet would be hard to come by. Ash moved his arm away from me to check his watch and sighed as he realized the time.

"Come on Mist, I better get you home" he quietly suggested.

"Why?" I asked timidly. You can understand why I didn't wanna go home, right? Cos if you can't, well, then I guess all I can do is pray for you. We'd been out for nearly an hour but I was nowhere near ready to go back and face them all. Mom, my sisters, Dad…oh no, not Dad. 

"Because I do not want to get you in more trouble than you already are. I think you'd want that too" Ash pointed out. I reluctantly nodded as he stood up, handing me my crutches and helping me to my feet. "How long do you have to have these things again?" he asked, obviously as annoyed as I was at their inconvenience. 

"Four or more weeks" I sighed. "Aren't they the biggest nuisance ever?"

"Well maybe so, but at least they keep you moving."

"They'll need to, now that I'm moving out altogether." The sentence caused involuntary tears to well up in my eyes and I marveled at the irony of it all. I had once so longed to get away from the gym, I had been desperate to escape Mom's icy clutches. And now here I was with no choice at all but to leave, and I was wishing this was all some sort of horrible nightmare. 

"Don't dwell on it, Misty. Let's just get you away from that bitch and into a life you deserve" Ash said as we started walking.

"I don't deserve anything" I whispered, almost repeating one of Mom's general criticisms.

"Misty -"

"No, I deserve shit all" I shook my head as I spoke. Ash had been walking beside me but he suddenly ran in front of me and grabbed my shoulders, stopping me in my slow tracks. His eyes were level with mine but I couldn't meet them.

"Misty, I don't want to hear you talk like that ever again, you hear me?" Ash said sternly.

"But isn't it the truth?" I asked, thinking it was a rhetorical question.

"Don't be stupid. You deserve everything you've never had. You deserve love and warmth and a family that's there for you no matter what. Instead you got a mother who despised you, sisters who ignored you until only a little while ago and the only blessing you can count is your father."

"I can count you" I pointed out.

"You couldn't a year ago" Ash replied. I went quiet and he loosened his grip on my shoulders, though his hands still stayed there. "So don't go talking about how you deserve nothing. You've had a bad run so far and despite all this I'm going to do my damndest to somehow make it up to you."

"You don't have to do that. It's not your fault I'm not good at pleasing Mom."

"I don't care. You're good at pleasing me in any and every way possible and the least I can do in return is try to make your life a little better through all of this" Ash said. I finally met his eyes and saw the promises imprinted in them, the determination that was with him in whatever he was doing. I also knew that the League had been somewhat deprioritised to him, it would have to be if he was promising me all this, but I had to wonder if it was in light of me falling pregnant or just in light of me. As much as I would love the latter to be true, something was still niggling at my mind about it, and I couldn't bear wondering.

"Ash…are you doing this because of me or because of me falling pregnant?" I asked seriously.

"What are you talking about? I love you, you know that."

"Okay, so if it comes between me and the League again like it did two years ago, what would come first?" I was expecting some sort of uncomfortable mumble of an answer after a long hesitation, but I was in for a shock at his instant reply.

"You." That one word brought a smile to my face and I hugged him tightly.

"Yeah, that's why you're going back in two months" I said sarcastically, laughing it off.

"Well the tournament -"

"Ash, it's okay" I interrupted him, still locked in his embrace. "I know they need you up there, especially now. So don't give it a second thought. Delia will take good care of me." I pulled away from him, still smiling despite the fact I now had to go home. 

"You know I'll call every night and write you and -"

"Ash" I interrupted again. "Don't think about it now. We've got tomorrow at least, just savour this for now."

"Okay, but you know I'll hafta start calling round for some sort of way to get there" Ash pointed out as we started walking back towards the gym. "It might have to be a bus, I didn't exactly bring a lot of money."

"That's okay" I replied. "I'm not expecting a private jet or anything."

"Well that's a relief" Ash grinned. We quietly made our way through Cerulean, trying to ignore the whispers by not talking about them but we both knew they were playing on our minds. Do people have nothing better to do than gossip? Obviously not in Cerulean. 

The gym gates suddenly looked impending and I grasped onto Ash's hand as we stopped out the front. Dad's car was now in the driveway, a forecast for disaster and broken hearts. 

"Do you want me to come with you or do you wanna do this by yourself?" Ash asked.

"No, I'll go by myself. Dad can only cope with so much" I sighed. Ash hugged me again, holding me for longer than he had before and tighter too.

"Be strong. I love you" he whispered.

"I love you too. Do you want to meet me somewhere tomorrow or something?" I asked, thinking of how we would be planning our escape.

"No, don't you worry about that. I'll organise all that first and get in touch with you tomorrow" Ash said. He kissed me softly, the both of us so badly wanting to prolong it but knowing that we couldn't. We easily could have. I reluctantly pulled away and gave him one final sad glance, as if I wouldn't be laying eyes on him again.

"Bye Ash" I whispered before I walked through the gates. He waved to me as he walked away and I slowly walked through, scared of what was beyond these gates, beyond that door. The gym was all lit up, so everyone would be home. This was confirmed as soon as I opened the front door to witness my whole family sitting round the kitchen table. I caught my father's eye first and had to keep in my gasp.

He looked like he had aged fifty years in a day and his face wore an expression that was more than sad - it was downright heartbreaking. It was as if someone had grabbed his heart and done the most amount of damage possible to it. And, I thought with a guilty cringe, that someone was me. His eyes were also undeniably swimming in tears. I'd never seen my father cry before, or any grown man for that matter, and I didn't want to be the first to make him cry.

"Misty" he croaked out. He kept that sad stare on me but I didn't, I couldn't, move an inch. "My baby girl is pregnant." He shook his head before burying it in his hands. My mother rubbed his back reassuringly, sending me a glance full of venom, and my sisters couldn't even look my way.

"Daddy, I'm so sorry, I can't tell you how sorry -"

"Shush Misty" Dad said sternly. I stopped talking in both surprise and fear of what he would do and he met my eyes again. "You're not sorry."

"But I am! Dad, I truly am, I'll never be sorry enough!" I exclaimed, gulping back my tears as I did. 

"Are you sorry you slept with Ash?" Dad asked.

I paused. That was a tough call. I wasn't sorry for sleeping with Ash, I was sorry for what had come out of it. Did that ultimately mean I _was_ sorry for sleeping with Ash? 

"Well…um…"

"I didn't think so" Dad sighed. 

"No Dad, please, I -"

"Just shut up, Misty" Mom snapped, much more blunt than my father. "Can't you see you've put all of us through enough? Your words won't change anything." I kept quiet, letting two silent tears spill over.

"Am I still moving out?" I whispered after an unbearably long silence.

"You sure are" Mom said coldly.

"Dad?" I asked timidly. He had always been on my side. 

"Yes Misty, you are" Dad replied flatly. "I think you can learn to pay for your mistake this way." I couldn't speak. His words had literally rendered me speechless and had glued my feet to the floor.

"Dad…" I started, not quite sure how to finish.

"Leave it. Go up to your room, I can't even look at you" Dad said softly, turning his back on me both literally and metaphorically. Two more tears were let loose before I made my slow ascent up the stairs, my damn crutches not improving anything. It seemed to take an eternity to reach my room but I had never been so grateful to see it, and as soon as I walked through the door, I shut it firmly, locked it, and finally let the sobs escape that had been building up for so long. Only in the confines of my room could I be this true to myself. 

Déjà vu instantly hit me as I sat there wailing. I hadn't cried like this since running into Ash for the first time at Washbay. That didn't seem half as bad as what was happening now. My whole life was in a shambles and the only person who was gluing it back together was Ash, yet at the same time he was part of the reason I was crying.

It was all too confusing, and with my head, heart and soul raw with pain, I fell asleep, curled up on my bed like a lost child. That was a similarity that wasn't far from wrong. 

A/N: There you have it! A bit longer than the last one (which was really kinda short, sorry bout that) Hope you liked and more on the way soon. AAML forever!


	16. Confession and Escape

DISCLAIMER: Don't own Pokémon.

A/N: Gotta be quick! Not even supposed to be on here! Eeek! Read on peeps, hope you enjoy!

****

Chapter Fifteen - Confession and Escape.

The next day I slowly opened one eye as I woke, afraid of what the day would bring. I then remembered that I had work, and for the first time since landing the job, I breathed a sigh of relief at the prospect of going. I wouldn't have to hang around the gym today.

It took me a moment to hear the rummaging going on in my wardrobe and in an instant I had spun around, worried that some stranger was going through my stuff.

No, it was only Mom. I flopped back down on my pillow with a sigh, rubbing my eyes as I spoke.

"Mom, what are you doing?" I asked groggily. The only reply I got was one of my best and few dresses thrown on my bed. It was purple velvet, long sleeved and tight at the neck, and I hated it. I only ever wore it when I was backed into a corner and threatened with various punishments.

"Mom?" I tried again. Still getting no verbal reply, I assumed she was giving me the cold shoulder and looked at my bedside clock. 8.25. "Holy crap, I'm gonna be late for work!" I exclaimed, flinging off my sheets and sitting bolt upright before my mother's words halted my actions.

"They know you're not coming back" she said in a monotone.

"What?" I cautiously inquired.

"I called Marie a couple of minutes ago and told her what had happened" Mom said in that same flat tone. She was now on her knees looking through my shoes. 

"What?! You told her I was pregnant?!" I exclaimed in horror.

"Mmhmm" Mom replied non-chalantly. 

"I would've done it! I could've given them some notice or something!" I yelled.

"I don't care what you could've done, there's no point you going back there. Just get up and get dressed, you're due for confession at nine" Mom announced, hauling out a pair of rarely used black leather boots.

"Confession?" I whispered. "But I…I haven't been to confession in ages, why now?"

"You have a lot to be asking forgiveness for" Mom said coldly. I gulped, unable to speak as the conflicts ran in my mind about whether she was right. "Hurry up, I don't want to be late." She stalked out of my room, finalizing her words with that trademark door slam she loved to use in her anger.

Confession. Looking again at the purple dress, I winced. No wonder I had been afraid of what the day would bring.

*******

After a breakfast with my family accompanied by an atmosphere the temperature of Antarctica, Mom and I made our way to her church. I could've called it my church if I wanted to but I didn't really feel justified doing so. I hadn't attended in months and Mom had given up trying to force me to go, saying it was my own fault if I was sentenced to an eternity in hell.

My dress was so tight. I swore it was cutting off my air supply, but at least I was looking somewhat responsible. Mom had taken one look at me as I had hobbled down the stairs and then instantly turned away. I knew exactly why too. I already had a small bump showing through, one that I had never realised was there until the other day. Even as we walked into the church she still couldn't glance my way, but instead cheerily walked up to the reverend, a smile masking her true shame and anger.

"Father Michaels, hello" Mom greeted him as we walked down the aisle towards him. My dress was itching and it was so hot. All I wanted to do was run.

"So the Waterflower ladies have arrived" Father Michaels said warmly, flashing us a welcoming smile. "My, Misty, haven't you grown?" he marveled. I cringed at the tone he used, making me sound like I was about five years old.

"I guess so" I replied flatly.

"And what have you been up to since we saw you last?" Father Michaels asked, his worn blue eyes twinkling with charm.

"More than you'd like to know" I mumbled. I don't think he heard me but Mom sure did, and I was notified of this when she nudged me sharply.

"Um, I think Misty needs to start her confession" Mom said, her voice a tad on edge.

"Of course. Right this way, Misty. Mrs Waterflower, you can wait here until your daughter is finished if you like" Father Michaels offered. Mom sat down in a pew and pulled out a book to pass the time. I didn't catch the title but I had to wonder if it was one of those self help books. She tended to turn to those in times of crisis. I could see it now - "How to cope with the shame when your fifteen-year old gets knocked up." 

I silently followed Father Michaels to the confession boxes, my nerves multiplying by the second. Those boxes scared me. Only an iron grate was all that kept me from bearing my soul, and once that had been opened there was no turning back. 

I apprehensively stepped in, crutches and all, walking into a dim world of honesty, raw and simple. The grate suddenly flew open and I panicked. What was I supposed to say again? Oh yeah. 

"Bless me, Father, for I have sinned." After crossing myself I drew in a shaky breath, unsure of where or how to start. "It's been a while since my last confession, since I last came to church even, so I guess that in itself is a sin. And on top of that I've been greedy, envious, lustful and I've been under the influence of gluttony." I bit my lip before I continued. "But there's a reason for that" I whispered.

"Take your time, my child" Father Michaels said gently.

"The reason is…I've fallen in love. Or re-fallen in love. I don't know, he was my ex until a couple of months ago. We met back up at Washbay Beach over the summer and I said to myself I wouldn't fall for him again, he hurt me too badly last time, I _swore _I wouldn't and I couldn't, but…" I trailed off and sighed. "I did. And it's kinda lead to the reason I'm here today. In fact…" I trailed off again and thought for a minute. "You know, I'm only really here because Mom thinks I sinned, not because _I _do. Is that even allowed?"

"Your mother obviously cares about you very much if she wants you to be redeemed" was the reply I got. She cares? Yeah, that's the one. That would make headlines in the papers if it were true.

"Well I guess the ultimate sin for her was finding out that I'd fallen in love with him again. When we first broke up I came home and stopped my training, and she wasn't impressed with me or Ash. But then at Washbay we slept together and yes, I _am _only fifteen but it was so right and I don't regret it for a second. What I do regret is the consequence of it, because now I'm pregnant."

God, no matter how many times I said that it never seemed true.

"I see" Father Michaels said solemnly. His tone didn't cheer me but I suddenly found myself unable to stop talking, the words coming out in a flurry.

"And it's like, I don't know what to do, which way to turn. There are so many optionsand yet it always seems so hopeless. Mom and Dad are kicking me out, I'm going to live in Pallet Town, my sisters can't look at me just as they were beginning to slightly understand me…and I _hate _it, I truly hate it, but I confuse myself on whether or not I should've slept with Ash that night. It felt right but _was _it right? I don't know, I…" I choked on my words and fought back those relentless tears that had lately become a companion to me. "I don't think it was a sin" I whispered. 

"Love is never a sin" Father Michaels pointed out. "It sounds like you love this boy a lot."

"I do" I smiled. "I really honestly do. Mom can't understand that."

"Maybe the sin here is the lack of communication in your family, or the lack of understanding. Either way, God forgives you."

"What? He does? But how can He, I did something illegal" I pointed out.

"The Lord works in mysterious ways. And He forgives you."

"I wish my mother would" I mumbled.

*******

Two hours later I was lying on my bed, fighting off the nausea that had been swimming through my stomach all morning and re-reading the letter Ash had given to Lily only half an hour ago. They had met up in town, which was Ash's way of contacting me, and the words he had written were bittersweet to read.

__

Dear Misty,

Thinking about you, as always, wondering where you are and what you're doing. I hope you're away from your mother, that woman is beyond anyone's imagination. Anyways, I do have a reason for writing this, cos I promised I'd be in touch with you. I've already called Lily's cell and we're meeting up in half an hour so she can give this to you. 

Misty, we are getting outta here!

I don't know what you will make of this, I would hate to leave my hometown in a situation like this, but it's gotta be better than staying with your mom. I've booked two bus tickets to Pallet for tomorrow, we leave at 2pm, so if you can get to the Cerulean Central Hotel and ask for my room they'll take you up there no sweat. They know I'm expecting you. If you could get here at about 1.45 that would be great.

I know this is hard but we WILL get through this. I've sworn that to the both of us. 

Called Mom again, she is still dead set on you getting to Pallet, you know how much she worries! She said she's not entirely thrilled with the news but that she'll talk more about it once we get there. Don't worry, she's not gonna do anything near what your mom did.

Anyways I suppose you're reading this and telling me to shut up and stop rambling already, so I will. I love you and miss you heaps and heaps, (even though I only saw you yesterday) look after yourself and the little one and I'll see you tomorrow.

All my love forever,

Ash xxoo

No matter how often I read his words, I couldn't get one solid emotion out of them. Oh sure, I was happy to be getting away from Mom, and I was grateful and thrilled to be living with Ash and Delia. But I had to leave Dad, my sisters, my hometown and practically my whole life in Cerulean. My head and my heart were running in opposite directions.

There was a knock on my door and I quickly shoved the letter under my pillow before replying that it was open. To my disbelief, all three of my sisters walked through and seated themselves in various places round my room.

"Lily tells us that you're leaving tomorrow" Daisy started quietly. I nodded, trying to think of a way to fill in the impending uncomfortable silence. 

"I have to. Mom and Dad are kicking me out, you know that."

"We know, but…" Violet trailed off and bit her lip. "But Pallet isn't going to turn all this into a fairytale. Going to live with Ash and his mom won't turn the acid into sugar."

"Is anything else not magically transforming while you're at it?" I snapped in irritation.

"Don't get titchy, Mist. We're just worried that you're running away to nowhere" Violet said.

"As much as you love Ash, you have to admit, he's not the most mature person on the block. Do you really think he can help you get through something as difficult as this?" Lily asked.

"He already is! God, you guys almost sound as bad as Mom!" I exclaimed.

"Maybe we do, but unlike Mom we are _worried _about you" Daisy said.

"Well don't be. I can look after myself" I said confidently, which was probably a huge lie and I knew it. There was a long pause before Lily spoke up.

"I'm gonna miss you, Misty."

"Me too" the other two piped up in unison. 

"Oh guys" I sighed, staring at the three of them with tear-filled eyes. "I'll miss you too. But I have no choice here. Ash has promised me he'll be there for me and I believe him."

"Just be careful" Daisy whispered. With that all three of them enveloped me in a lingering hug, and I soon found myself sobbing on their shoulders. 

"I'm sorry guys, I'm so sorry" I apologised in a strangled voice. I wasn't quite sure what I was apologizing for but it had become my catch phrase over the last couple of days and it always seemed appropriate in a situation such as this. What the hell else would have been appropriate?

We finally broke away and I wiped my eyes, furious at myself for having put on such a pathetic display. If I wanted to get through this, I knew I had to be strong. This wasn't exactly the greatest start.

"We'll drive you down to his hotel tomorrow" Violet offered.

"What? You don't have to do that, I can get the bus."

"With your crutches and a suitcase? I don't think so Mist" Lily smiled sadly. No more words passed anyone's lips and it was decided from that point. My sisters would drive me to Ash's hotel for the final goodbye. We all knew it would be heart-wrenching and painful to say the least, but it had to be done. None of us knew when we would all be united as a group of four again, which was just another factor of fear and hurt to add to everything else that was going on in my mind. 

And thus my last day in Cerulean began when I started packing the next day. What would I need? What a stupid question, this wasn't a holiday, I was moving. I'd need _everything._ But then thinking that, I remembered that I would be gaining a hell of a lot of weight with this baby and that I would need new clothes. _Maternity _clothes. I shuddered at the thought.

I packed what I thought would be essential - toothbrush, hairbrush, money, clothes that I could fit into for now, a book I was reading and a couple of photos I didn't really want to leave behind. Snapping the suitcase shut, I sighed and sat down on my bed, taking in every inch of my room. It had been so comforting, so warm at a time when I really needed it. And now looking at it, I just felt…well, numb.

For the first time since falling pregnant, I had been sick that morning. Not a particularly good omen on today of all days, but I couldn't do anything about it and I certainly couldn't tell Mom. She might have even heard me, I don't know. I pretty much only remember running from the kitchen table in a rush and coming back looking and feeling absolutely awful. No surprises when I didn't touch my breakfast. She must've figured it out. 

God my jeans felt tight. I'd be throwing them out soon, no doubt. That was a thought depressing beyond compare. Checking my watch, I discovered it was 1.30 just as Daisy burst into my room.

"Oh good, you're packed. We hafta leave now cos Violet's a bit confused as to where the hotel is" she said, grabbing my suitcase and hauling it out the door. I smiled, not at all surprised by what Daisy had told me, and took a final glance around my room. Goodbye pastel pink walls I had once despised, goodbye window with that perfect view, goodbye incredibly messy desk…

I precariously tottered down the stairs and found myself faced with silence as I reached the kitchen. Mom was out "running errands" (no doubt just avoiding me) and Dad was at some sort of conference. But then again, he could've just been using Mom's tactic.

"Misty! Come on, we need to find this place!" Violet shouted, furiously beeping her car horn.

"Just a sec!" I yelled back. I quickly went over to the whiteboard where Mom wrote down all the groceries or things she had to do in a week. Finding some spare space, I picked up the pen and slowly wrote three words with a shaky hand.

__

I'm sorry, Dad.

"Misty! Hurry up!" More beeping of the horn.

"Okay okay" I muttered, moving myself as fast as I could to Violet's car. Daisy and Lily were in the back, giving me the honors of the front seat. "So you haven't got a clue where this place is?" I grinned as Violet pulled away from the gym. I didn't dare look back. Something could have made me change my mind and that was the last thing I needed.

"Well it says central, so somewhere in town" Violet shrugged. "Don't worry, we'll find it."

"We better" I mumbled. I turned around to face my other two sisters. "How was Ash when you saw him yesterday, Lily?"

"He looked tired. He was smiling and all but he had huge rings under his eyes."

"Oh no" I sighed. "He doesn't deserve this." 

The rest of the ride was silent, even though I tightly clenched my fist round the armrest as we approached that damn hill on the way to town. There were white crosses marking the crash site and I could only look for a second before turning my eyes away. I didn't want any more pain than I would already be experiencing today.

"There's too many hotels" Violet whined, scanning her eyes as she drove round the city centre. She wasn't wrong, but it couldn't have been that hard to find surely. 

"There!" Daisy shouted frantically as she pointed to a building outside, almost causing Violet to initiate an accident by slamming on her brakes in a panic. Car horns tooted around us and I had to laugh. Sure, we had nearly caused an accident, but it was damn funny in the process. 

"Oh shut up!" Violet yelled as one disgruntled driver gave her the one-fingered salute of road rage. But Daisy had been right. We were indeed at the Cerulean Central, and we pulled into the car park. Violet turned off the engine, severing all noise as she did, for no one knew what to say.

"Come on, let's get you in there, don't want you to miss your bus" Lily finally spoke up, quickly opening her door and hurrying out of the car. We all followed suit, silence once again engulfing us, and walked into the foyer, asking for Ash Ketchum's room. The guy behind the desk probably knew who we were from the strange looks he gave us, but told us his room was on the 15th floor anyway.

Reaching the room only increased my nerves of anticipation and uncertainty and I paused slightly before knocking on the door. I noticed that my sisters all had their eyes directed to the floor as Ash almost instantaneously answered to my raps. 

"Hey Misty" he greeted me, planting a small kiss on my lips. I smiled as I drowned in a sea of brown eyes before I whispered something to him.

"Can you gimme a minute to say goodbye?" He nodded and I turned to my sisters, noticing their eyes all cast towards me as I did. "Please look after Dad. Mom's just angry but he's absolutely heartbroken, and I don't want him doing anything stupid or getting any worse."

"Don't worry Mist, you have our word" Daisy smiled. Another group hug ensued but I held back my tears. They were pointless and had been shed enough already.

"Thanks for everything" I choked out.

"Don't mention it" Violet said, almost as groggily as I had. They pulled away and Daisy handed Ash my suitcase, who took it with a sympathetic smile.

"I'll call and write when I can, but it won't be easy" I said softly.

"Don't you worry about that sweetie, we'll call you, much safer and easier. Just look after yourselves, the both of you, and don't make too many demands on poor Delia" Lily said. I smiled. She reminded me of a mother instructing a child before heading off to boarding school.

"I won't, I won't. Now go. Please." It was a weak plea but they understood it. Facing them any longer would've killed me.

"Bye Mist! Look after yourself!"

"Love ya heaps sweetie!"

"Don't overdo anything! See ya later!"

And with that my three sisters stepped into the lift and were shut away as the doors made an all too final thud. Ash pulled me close next to him, his shoulder a wall of support at a time when I found it impossible to support myself. 

"You'll see them again" he said softly.

"Yeah, but when?" I sighed. "They've been nothing but great to the both of us since summer and now I haven't got the opportunity to pay them back in any way."

"You will get the opportunity though. You will. Let's just get all this sorted out first and then we'll find a way to pay them back. Lord knows how much we owe them. Come on, I've just gotta pack a few final things." Ash led me into the room which was far more above average than I had first expected, but I guess being a Pokémon Master it just comes with the territory.

"I'll be back in just a sec. Stay put" Ash grinned.

"Where else could I go?" I mumbled. Ash pecked my cheek and strode off towards his room, leaving me alone in the huge living area that eventually led to the kitchen. I wandered around, noticing how immaculate the whole place was and drinking in the view of the Cerulean Business District. I could see my old work from where I was standing. Hahaha, poor buggers, still working their asses off.

Still, guess I'd rather be in their shoes than my own. 

Walking into the kitchen, I found Ash's wallet lying open on the counter. _Well gee Ash, that was smart_, I thought with a smile. I could clearly see his various cards and his Indigo League ID carefully slotted inside, but something more interesting caught my eye. It was one of the rare photos Ash and I had had together when we were previously going out. I hadn't seen it in years. We were smiling, in fact neither of us looked too bad (if I do say so myself) the happiness practically radiated from the image.

Strange to think that only two weeks later I was back in Cerulean and he was going out with Giselle.

I sighed. I shouldn't think of the past, it was not a good friend of mine. Then again, I guess the present wasn't either. I was so absorbed in the picture that I didn't notice Ash entering the kitchen, suitcase in tow. 

"I've had that picture with me for two years" he said, looking over my shoulder to see it better.

"Well that was stupid. What if Giselle had seen it?" I asked.

"She did see it. She ordered me to burn it or rip it up or something. All I had to do was remind her that, as much as I cared about her, I was going out with her for image, not emotion."

"Ash!" I exclaimed as I spun on my heel to face him. "Please don't tell me you put it like that!"

"How else could I have said it? 'Sorry toots, you don't compare to the goddess I carry round in my wallet'?" Ash said.

"You're crazy" I muttered. "She didn't deserve to -"

"Look Mist, just don't dwell on it. I kinda think we have more important issues to deal with at the moment" Ash pointed out, running his fingers over my stomach before checking his watch. "Like catching our bus in time. Sheesh, what time did you guys decide to leave?" he asked hurriedly as he grabbed both our suitcases.

"1.30, but Violet got lost and nearly caused a pile up" I giggled.

"She managed to do both? What a legend" Ash laughed. "Come on, do you need some help?"

"No no, I'm fine" I smiled. We made our way to the lift, the first leg of our uncertain journey beginning right there. By the time we had made it down to the foyer and outside, the bus was already waiting, though I couldn't tell how much longer the driver's patience could hold out. Ash handed him our bags as I stepped on, keeping my eyes cast downward for fear of being recognized by some Cerulean citizen. 

I grabbed a window seat and wistfully looked out, even though I had ordered myself earlier not to. I knew what would happen and it immediately did - those bloody pros and cons started up again. Was this the right thing to do? Had Violet been right in saying that this wouldn't improve our problems? Would Ash _always _be there for me as he had so boldly declared he would?

He walked in a moment later and sat next to me as the bus started up with the irritated groan of an old engine. This was it. I couldn't turn back now. And as the bus pulled away from the hotel, I felt myself being pulled away from everything I had ever known.

It had to be for the better. Nothing could be better than getting away from Mom. So why did I still feel this horrible sting inside of me as we reached Cerulean City's limits?

"You okay Mist?" Ash asked worriedly. He had obviously noticed that I hadn't moved my eyes from the window since I'd sat down. I finally tore my gaze away from the distant city and eyed him with a small smile.

"I will be. I know I will be."

A/N: Okay no time, gotta fly, lol. AAML forever and thankies so so much for all the reviews!


	17. Arriving To A New Life

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon. I swear!

A/N: They're going to Pallet! Hurrah! And apart from that I've run out of things to say - it's becoming a trend, isn't it? - so let's just read on! 

****

Chapter Sixteen - Arriving to a new life

The bus rolled along for another three hours, and although sleep in my system would have been greatly appreciated, it was not to be, as my new phobia of buses overwhelmed my fatigue. No such luck for Ash, who was fast asleep in a world that didn't hassle him with the burdens he now faced in this one.

Maybe burdens shouldn't have been plural. I was the biggest and only burden in his life, and he didn't deserve that. I knew the Pokémon League would never be a burden to him, even if it was incredibly stressful. I kissed the top of his head which was resting on my shoulder and thanked God I had him, now that my parents had disowned me.

A sign flashed by, testing my eyesight with its faded words and quick passing by, but I caught what it said. 'Welcome to Pallet Town.' We'd made it at last.

"Ash" I said softly, gently nudging him out of his slumber. He stirred and looked at me with eyes that pleaded for more sleep. "We're here."

"Shit, I can't believe I fell asleep, sorry Mist" he apologised through a yawn. He fully sat up to face me with a lopsided smile. "I'm supposed to be the tough guy here and I can't even stay awake through one bus trip." I smiled back at him and shook my head. 

"No one has to be the tough guy. If we can be strong, well, that's great, but we've always got each other to fall back on. You remember that, Mr Macho."

"Yeah yeah" Ash rolled his eyes teasingly as the bus ground to an abrupt halt. "Well Misty…welcome home" he said quietly. I nodded, fear of an emotionally charged sob escaping me if I dared to attempt words. Maybe I finally was home, where I belonged, where people accepted me.

Ha. Yeah Misty, that'll be the day.

I stood up shakily, leaning on to my crutches and hopping behind Ash until we reached the door.

And there she was. Delia Ketchum, a smile on her face even through circumstances such as these, her arms forever open to her little boy.

"Hi Mom" Ash said, quite solemnly I noticed, as he embraced his mother.

"Oh Ash. It's so good to have you home." Delia broke away and beamed a smile at him before she caught my hesitant eye. I didn't know what to say or how to act, but I instantly relaxed when she embraced me in a hug I would never dream of receiving from my mother.

"Delia, I…"

"Shhh, darling" she interrupted. "Don't apologise, don't say a word. I know." She pulled away and stroked my travel-frizzed hair. "You poor thing. Look at your leg, all clamped up like that. You must have been through the worst lately, Ash told me all about it." She turned back to Ash, who had gotten our bags. "Come on Ash, Misty needs her rest."

Wow. She was incredibly accepting of all of this, and warm and loving. Same old Delia, I thought with a smile.

She drove us from the bus station (since the bus would pick us up where we wanted in Cerulean but wouldn't drop us off anywhere but the station in Pallet. Go figure) back to the Ketchum house, and I looked on in amazement at Pallet and everything I had forgotten about it. Small, rural, a place where people minded their own business. What a contrast to Cerulean. 

"Well, here we are! Remember this place, Misty?" Delia asked, turning off the engine.

"Like I could forget it" I said softly. That perfect white house with that red roof, that picket fence and the garden that was obviously lovingly tended to. A place I had visited so many times before and now was going to live in.

Oh boy. I still wasn't quite touching earth on that one.

The house was quiet as I hobbled in behind Ash and in front of Delia. Clean as always, too. But the silence was soon broken by Delia's rarely used bossy tone.

"Now Misty, you rest on the couch. Ash can take the bags upstairs. What do you drink, dear? Lemonade, juice, anything you want" she offered. I crashed on the couch and smiled at her never-ending helpful attitude.

"Just a glass of water would be nice, thanks" I replied as Ash trudged upstairs. Delia immediately fled into the kitchen and I was left by myself to think about the current situation. Was Delia living in a dream world? I was 15 and pregnant. I wasn't there for a holiday.

She came back and sat on the couch beside me as she handed me my drink. I took a grateful gulp, wondering if she wanted me to say something. I didn't have to wonder for long.

"How are you feeling, Misty? Got a lot of morning sickness?" she asked. I nearly choked on my water at the sudden question and stared at her with wide eyes. "Oh relax, hun" she said soothingly as she patted my knee. "You know you can always talk to me about all this. I've been through it myself, remember."

"I know, but you weren't as young" I said. I saw her eyes cloud over and immediately regretted what I'd said. "Were you?"

"I was young enough" Delia replied. "It's scary and all, but…well, at least you've got Ash. He falls more in love with you every day, and it's no wonder. You're the complete opposite to Giselle, you're the only girl he's ever truly loved."

"Really?" I asked, trying not to show my overwhelming happiness.

"He said so himself" Delia smiled. "Who knows, this could come out as a blessing in disguise. Ash was for me. Now I can't imagine a life without him."

"Neither can I." My words were as honest as they could be. I couldn't imagine a life without Ash, in spite of everything that was going on.

He sloppily descended the staircase as Delia and I had finished talking and flopped down beside me, grabbing a hold of my hand as if he were afraid I'd run away. Unlikely, Ash.

"You're alright? The trip hasn't wiped you out too much, has it?" he asked worriedly.

"As embarrassing as it is to confess that a three hour trip would wipe me out, it has done exactly that. Would you mind if I had a bit of a nap before dinner?" I asked politely.

"Not at all dear! Ash, show Misty -"

"Yeah Mom, I'll show Misty her room" Ash said, helping me up as he interrupted his mother. He walked behind me in case I fell back, which I thought was incredibly unnecessary but at the same time I really didn't want to go crashing down the stairs. 

"So I get my own room then?" I asked as we reached the top of the stairs.

"Of course you do. And it is right over…" Ash trailed off as he walked in front of me and stopped outside a door. "Here." He swung the door open and walked in, leaving me gaping at the doorway. I didn't expect a guest room to be quite so lavish. It was like a hotel room. Towels at the end of the bed with little soaps on top, a luxurious double bed, there was even a TV! The only thing missing, it seemed, was the mint on the pillow.

I tentatively hobbled in behind him, also awed by the welcoming atmosphere my new room naturally radiated. Immediately tossing my crutches aside, I flopped onto the bed and sprawled out to use its full potential of snugness. 

"My God, this bed is sooo comfy" I sighed. If I'd been able to jump on it, I swear I would've gone through the roof.

"Only the best for you" Ash said, sitting down beside me.

I had to laugh. "Yeah right. I bet this bed has been here since you were this high." I indicated a short height from the ground with my hand and watched his face instantly flush.

"Well, maybe it has. But now it's just for you and nobody else" Ash declared.

"What about you?" I asked mischievously. Noting his instantly shocked face, I grabbed his jacket and pulled him into a kiss I so badly wanted and needed.

"Misty…Mom is…" Ash mumbled, but my powers of persuasion were obviously too overpowering as he responded to the kisses. His hands wandered over me, sparking those feelings I had missed so much since Washbay, but I was soon to be disappointed when he found some sort of willpower to pull away. "Hold up Mist, hold up." I stared at him in confusion and breathlessness as he lay beside me.

"Damn Ash, don't leave me hanging like that" I teased softly.

"You might wanna wait till this fella's off" Ash said, patting my cast.

"That freaking cast ruins everything" I complained. Ash laughed and held me close, my head resting on his chest as a comfortable silence enveloped us. Unfortunately, I chose the scariest sentence to break it with. "You're going back to the League soon, aren't you?"

"Three days. But I'll only be gone for two weeks at the most, and I'll call every night to make sure you and the little guy are alright" Ash replied, his hand drifting over my stomach. He was acting so calm about all this, while inside I was driving myself into an insane frenzy. 

"We're gonna hafta start looking for foster parents soon, you know" I said softly. My voice slightly trembled at the one sentence I had just spoken. We had to give up a part of the both of us to complete strangers thanks to one stupid mistake that hadn't been considered in the heat of the moment. This wasn't easy for me to comprehend.

"I know. When are you due?" Ash asked. Oh boy, was I really discussing this with him?

"Um, sometime around April or May." I sighed, unable to take my eyes off the sigh of his hand on my stomach. If only we were a little older, a little wiser, maybe things wouldn't be as bumpy as they undoubtedly would become in these next few months. 

"Okay. Well how about you get that nap you wanted" Ash suggested as he tried to move away.

"No, I don't want a nap. I want you" I said sleepily, contradicting myself in the process. Ash smiled and kissed my forehead and, as though he had just spread sleep powder over me through his lips, I felt my eyelids drooping and found no power to stop him from leaving.

*******

I woke up two hours later in a sleepy panic. Where was I? What had happened to my bedroom? Then it hit me. Pallet Town. Parents disowning me. Oops. How could I have forgotten all that?

I reached over for my crutches and slowly started making my way to and down the stairs. The small steps I took were frustrating, making me have to shed my usually energetic skin for a slow, cumbersome one. 

Ash was sitting on the couch watching TV when he caught sight of me halfway down the stairs and, as an instant mechanism, jumped up and walked towards me.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded to know.

"Getting down the stairs" I replied cheerfully, eventually reaching the bottom landing on my own. Ash met me with a sigh and a pair of arms around my waist.

"You'll be the death of yourself one of these days" Ash grinned, his forehead now touching mine. I shook my head and softly kissed him, only to have the moment broken by Delia's voice.

"Ash! Go and tell Misty dinner's ready!" Ash pulled away and directed his voice to the kitchen.

"She's already up, Mom!" He turned back to me and bit his lip. "You better eat. Mom will die of worry if you don't."

"She doesn't have to worry about that, I'm absolutely famished" I confessed. We walked towards the dining room to find an immaculately set table already laden with the delictables I had been accustomed to in the Ketchum household. Delia rushed in, laid one final plate on the table and gave us a wary but nonetheless happy look.

"All your favorites, Ash, just the way you like them" she announced.

"Oh Delia, you didn't have to -"

"Pizza!" Ash interrupted, scrambling over to the table and sitting himself down as if he were scared the food would run away. I rolled my eyes with a smile at Delia. 

"Well come on Misty, dig in, you're eating for two now" Delia urged.

"Feels like it too" I said as I sat down. My stomach was demanding the food in front of me and I had no trouble digging in as soon as Delia had sat down. I think even she was surprised at the amount of food I consumed - she was probably wracking her brain for a gym I could join.

"So Mist, you up for dessert?" Ash asked mischievously as I sat there trying to calm my jangled and thoroughly full stomach. 

"Nooo" I moaned, closing my eyes in an attempt to shut out the nausea. "I ate too much. It was all too good."

"I'm glad to hear it" Delia smiled. She suddenly clasped her hand over her mouth and gasped, her eyes widening at the thought that had obviously just hit her. "Misty, it's your birthday soon, isn't it?"

"Well…um…" I stammered, knowing what she would do. The cake would be at least three tiers high, the interior of the house would be unrecognizable as it drowned in decorations, the fuss and bother would be uncomprehendable and pointless.

"Nine days" Ash announced, squeezing my hand.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Delia exclaimed in horror. I didn't even know how she'd had an idea my birthday was close anyway, but I suspected Ash had come into it somewhere.

"Because I know what you would do. I want this one to be very low-key" I said.

"But your sixteenth, it's -"

"Mom" Ash gently interrupted. "She doesn't want a big to-do about it. Promise me you'll respect her wishes while I'm gone. Her wishes are mine too." There was a long silence and I kept my eyes to the ground, fear of seeing Delia angry overtaking me. I was in for a shock when I felt her hand on mine and a gentle squeeze to follow.

"Whatever you want, Misty" Delia said assuredly. It was at this point I realised both Ash and Delia each had a hold of one of my hands, and I finally felt like a part of something. It was a feeling I had never experienced with my own family. I tried to stop the tears and was somewhat thankful when Delia changed the subject. "Now you two know that as nice and easy all this is now, you _have _made a mistake and I suspect in the next couple of months you'll see yourselves paying for it."

As grateful as I might have been for the subject change, I wasn't ready to dive right into the serious side of things. I knew I had to face up to it sooner or later, but this thought didn't dissolve the sawdust in my mouth. 

"We know Mom, it was stupid" Ash said mournfully. 

"Well, you probably shouldn't call it stupid. A child isn't stupid" Delia said.

"What we did was stupid" I argued.

"No, what you did wasn't stupid. That, I can say and see clearly, was love. I think it was what you _didn't _do that was stupid" Delia pointed out. She was right. "And I hate to point this out to you both, but some kind of decision is going to have to be made soon."

"I don't think there'll be an abortion" I said hurriedly. "It seems that adoption is the only way."

"But what about after the baby is born? Are you going back to Cerulean?" Delia asked. Again, I couldn't reply to her, for I didn't have an answer. You'd think the telephone ringing would have saved my hide as it had done previous times before, but I was soon to be a horrible victim to the ringing device.

"Who was it?" Ash asked as Delia slowly walked back in.

"Um…it's your mother, Misty." I locked eyes with her for a second, wondering if she was serious, and when I saw that she was I turned to Ash, panic imprinted in my eyes.

"Go. Be strong, she can't do anything to you now" he said, kissing my cheek as I stood up. I gave him a weak smile and timidly hopped down the hall to the phone. I slowly picked up the receiver, knowing it would soon be encased in nervous sweat, and took in a deep breath.

"Mom?" I choked out.

"I knew I'd find you here, you little tramp!" Mom screamed. I gulped back the influx of tears her words had just created within me. "What the hell are you playing at? The pair of you could be seen somewhere! If you were going to move out you could've at least gone somewhere isolated!"

Her words both angered and confused me. _If _I was going to move out? I didn't think I'd had an option when she had announced it. 

"And what, go through a pregnancy all by myself?" I asked sarcastically.

"You deserve to. God Misty, you have no idea how thick you are, do you?" Mom asked rhetorically. "What are we gonna say when people start asking after you? You obviously had no consideration for the rest of us when you decided to run off like that."

"But Mom, I thought I was considering everyone. Remember, I _needed _to move out, the family and gym's reputations relied on it? Or was that just me mishearing you?"

"Don't be a smart aleck! You're in more trouble than you'll ever know girl, and I hope you're not expecting the lot of us here to forgive you!" Mom yelled.

"For Chrissakes Mom, you wanted me to move out yourself! You said so! And Dad seconded it, and I don't CARE if you never forgive me, I have a family here that loves me ten times more than you guys ever will!" I exclaimed in a flurry. I cringed thinking of my sisters though. They had done so much for me and saying goodbye to them earlier had been so desponding. 

"Oh you'll care, Misty. You'll care when that boy feels an ounce of pressure on his shoulders and makes a run for it, you'll care when the world turns its back on you. And I swear to heaven and Christ above Misty, you'll care in a couple of months. Maybe that will give you time to think about how you're gonna rectify this situation, you little whore." With that the phone went dead and I burst into tears, cursing so loudly I'm sure Delia would have wanted me out of the house right then and there.

"Fuck my bitch of a mother! God DAMN her to hell! I hate her, I HATE her!!!" Realising my horrific outburst and the implications it could have, I slammed the phone down and sprinted (if you can sprint on crutches) out the front door, not quite sure where I was going. I only made it as far down the end of the deserted street before I collapsed on the sidewalk, gasping for breath from the toll I had taken on myself.

The night air wrapped itself around and in me as my lungs cried out for some sort of relief. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't. I could see why she was angry at me for falling pregnant but the bickering had been going on way before all this had happened. And now she had the nerve to call me a whore. 

The most painful thing of all was knowing that she meant it - it wasn't a heat of the moment thing.

I sat on the sidewalk without a single car or pedestrian passing me by, silent tears staining my cheeks, my shoulders shaking uncontrollably and my heart feeling like it had hit the floor and shattered in the process. I must've looked like an absolute wreck, because I certainly felt like one. 

It took all my courage to walk back to the Ketchum house, nerves shooting me at the thought of Delia hearing me curse so loudly. Where the hell had my sense gone in that one insane moment? Did I want to jeopardize my only shot at being accepted somewhere?

The door was unlocked and the front hall empty. I could either go to the kitchen and apologise or make a run for it up the stairs. Again I lost my sense and got up the stairs as fast as I could, my head screaming at me all the way. 

__

Rectify it, Misty. Make it better than worse.

But I can't. I truly can't.

I bloody well could, I thought later, but at that moment my logic had completely evaporated. Must have come with the whole my-heart-is-shattered-again-by-my-mother thing. Not that I could really make excuses for myself, it wasn't the right thing to do.

Five minutes later I was enfolded in the spring night's gentle breeze on the balcony, my eyes cast out towards the now blurry scenery of Pallet Town. Damn my mother. She had no right to call and say those things after she herself kicked me out.

I leant against the balcony's railing with my hands lazily dangling over the side. Tramp. Thick. The only adjectives Mom would ever use on me again. If she ever spoke to me again, that is. 

Something had suddenly wrapped itself around my waist but I was far from alarmed when I felt small kisses dropping on the back of my neck. I blinked away my tears and forced myself to smile. 

"She's such a bitch. I don't know how she could've produced something as beautiful and kindhearted as you" Ash whispered, the breeze carrying his words into my ears.

"You don't even know what she said to me" I said softly, my gaze reverting from Pallet's dotted veil of darkness.

"Misty" Ash said sternly. I slowly turned around to meet his eyes, waiting for him to go on. "I know you and I know your mom. I know that when you put the two together I find you like this."

I bit my lip and stared at the ground. "It doesn't matter what she said. Look at me, Ash. Here I am with the biggest of all burdens on my shoulders and I can't stay in control for a minute of it. How the hell am I gonna survive if I keep breaking down at every minor obstacle? I can't cry every time someone calls me names, I can't run away from this and I can't escape it by avoiding people. There's no way out."

"You have every right to cry" Ash said.

"I'm _sick _of crying!" I exclaimed. "All I do is cry! I want to laugh again, I want to smile and know that I have nothing that can take that away! But I can't be in command of my every move at the moment and it kills me, it really _kills _me because I'm so used to being in control." I shook my head and fiercely kicked the balcony railing with my plastered foot, knowing it wouldn't hurt. "Fucking hell, why did this happen to us?! Did we deserve this?"

Ash stood there staring at me, his eyes burning into mine with an intensity I'd never seen before. What was going through his mind? What was going through _my _mind? Nothing was making sense. I held back my tears in a desperate attempt to prove myself stronger and stared back at Pallet. His eyes stayed on me, almost intimidating me with their stare.

"So you're asking if we deserve each other" Ash said flatly. I swiftly turned back to him to see his eyes now staring at the ground. "Maybe I don't deserve you, Mist. I treated you like shit and the last thing I deserve from you is the love and warmth you've given me."

"What?" I asked in disbelief. I hadn't meant for him to interpret the question like that. "You don't deserve me. You don't deserve the burden I've become, the whining, crying, illegally pregnant bitch that I am." I took in a shaky breath when I had stopped rambling and cringed in discomfort at the silence that now surrounded us. "You deserve a beautiful, well-rounded, head-on-her-shoulders girl. You deserve another Giselle."

"DON'T!" Ash yelled, his eyes flashing in pure anger. "Don't you _ever, _on your life, compare yourself to Giselle. I fully forbid it Misty, I'm dead serious. Just don't."

His words froze my throat over but sent my mind sprinting. Watching the anger gushing out of him in a torrent of words, I wondered if I had truly made the right choice in coming to Pallet Town. The last thing either of us needed was our own personal stresses bouncing off one another. How had he degenerated from a comforting presence to a form of anger I'd never seen in him before? Even when he had shaken me at Washbay in those first few days I hadn't been this scared. 

It seems the emotional hurt overtakes the physical ones at times like these. 

"Why, Ash?" I finally spoke up, my voice breaking into a whisper. It took him a painful minute to reply and even then his voice brought me little comfort.

"There's no point comparing someone I love with someone I cared for."

I didn't know how to respond and instead waited for him to go on. When he didn't, his eyes still firmly wandering from me, I sighed and grabbed my crutches but didn't move. I just kept staring at him expectedly, like my eyes would command him to talk or move or something. Not this deathly silence.

"I'm going" I feebly managed to choke out.

"So am I, in three days. I'm gonna be hundreds of miles away from you…and look at us." Ash finally met my confused gaze and smiled, filling me with some kind of hope. "Is this really how you wanna remember our last days together? Arguing about trivial things that we can't prevent?"

I slowly shook my head but found words impossible to come by. God I loved him. He could render me speechless with one glance or sentence, he could turn even the worst of situations around and he always seemed firmly glued to my side no matter what. This wasn't even a spat that we had just been through. My emotions had knocked me to the ground and Ash had been caught off guard too, but now he was picking me up again, as only he could do.

"Misty, if all you can do is cry until the rivers of your heart dry up, then do it. I know you're sick of it but you'll get through it, and we'll both come out on the better side of this eventually. But until then, if you have to cry, don't even think about it. Just go for it. Who knows, crying might suck now but it might also help with the pain. Lord knows I've cried since all this happened" Ash said.

"You've…cried?" I asked quietly.

"I sure have" Ash groaned. "I've cried for everything and everyone involved in this except your mother. She doesn't deserve tears." I stared at him for about twenty seconds, taking in everything he had said and finally walked up to him as slow as I dared. I didn't really want this moment to be over. Again I lost words but referred back to that saying about actions speaking louder than words as I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck and pulled him into a long, loving kiss. 

I wasn't exactly keeping track of time or anything but I know that kiss lasted long enough to temporarily dissolve my tendencies to cry, and that when we finally did break it off, words were not a necessity. I think our eyes and our facial expressions said it all. We were both as scared as each other but at the same time we were also as hopeful. 

We stayed locked in the embrace for a long time, my head resting on his shoulder and a million similar thoughts invading my brain space. A few stuck out, and one in particular finally put a smile on my face.

__

You will get through this, Misty Waterflower. How could you not with the world's youngest Pokémon Master, the guy you love and the one person who feels the same way you do by your side?

A/N: Oops, nearly left the A/N in italics, lol! Anyways, feel free to review, flame, constructively criticise, it all goes down well over here. Ah, I nearly forgot to mention…I know I update this thing really fast, but there's gonna be a bit of a delay because I'm going away for the weekend (with just my mother, my brother and my great-aunt. Should be a blast) so I won't be able to upload. But Monday should see the return of these chapters, and until then stay cool everyone!


	18. A Visit To The Doctor

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon.

A/N: I'M BACK! Yay! And another chapter is ready to go, hurrah. It just gets better, doesn't it?! Eeek! Okay sorry, I'll stop with the non-sensical babble and let you read.

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Chapter Seventeen - A visit to the doctor.

"Happy birthday dear Misty…"

"Mr. Mime!"

Okay, I'd never quite envisioned a Mr. Mime attending one of my birthday celebrations, but I didn't really have a choice when it came to my sixteenth. Delia was inseparable from her Mimey, who was now clumsily attempting to cut a piece of the double chocolate fudge cake its master had made, despite my protests of a low-key birthday.

"Delia, I told you not to do anything" I scolded through my giggles.

"Well you've at least got to have a cake" Delia grinned. "No birthday is complete without one!" She even knew that double chocolate fudge was my favourite, no doubt thanks to a phonecall to her son while I was out of earshot. 

It had been six days since Ash had gone back to the Indigo Plateau, farewelling Delia and I as I tried to force out the insecurity that hit me every time he left for anywhere. He _would _be back. I just had to be patient. 

I had filled in the days by doing things I had never even considered before in my life. I called adoption agencies, inquired after abortions (which seemed kinda weird because I always thought I was against them, but I guess we had to have a backup), met my new doctor who would check up on me every couple of months and started buying those god awful maternity clothes. Delia was with me practically every second of the day, which can't have been easy on her but which I appreciated so much with Ash gone.

The phone rang and I glanced at the clock. 7.30. It would be Ash. I smiled and hobbled down the hall as fast as my broken leg would take me and picked up, instantly switching to the video phone.

"Hey, there's my birthday girl" Ash greeted me, those brown eyes forever dancing with mine. "_Joyeaux anniversaire, ma cherie._"

I burst out laughing at the French greeting. "_Merci, mon amour_" I grinned.

"Oh good, so you did understand what I was saying, thank God, I've been practicing all day" Ash said warily.

"Aww, how sweet" I cooed.

"How are you holding up on this day of days?" Ash asked. Despite the cheery nature of his words, I couldn't miss the concern in his tone.

"Not bad actually. I met Dr. Jenkins today, she wants to run an ultrasound on me" I announced.

"Shit, this early?" Ash exclaimed.

"Well, I am three months along" I reminded him. "It's okay, they just wanna make sure the baby's healthy and all. But…" I trailed off.

"But what?"

I sighed. "I could've had it done today but I…I got scared" I confessed, noticing Ash's face break out into a warm smile. "So I said I'd wait till you got back. You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not" Ash replied. "Though I don't think I'll be much braver than you, to be honest."

"That's alright, I just want you there."

"Ten days, Mist. I'm counting down and reminding these buggers up here that they have no choice in letting me go" Ash declared.

"And no one's protesting or asking you to stay?" I asked cautiously.

"Nope. They know that all they'll get in reply is a 'see you in three months' monotone" Ash said.

"Good, cos I'm gonna be selfish in saying this, but I want you to myself."

"Oh Mist, God I want that too" Ash sighed.

"And you will have it, we both will, just hold tight" I said assuredly.

"I will, I will. How's Mom?"

"She doesn't stop smiling" I replied with a grin. "She acts like this is the most normal thing in the world. You couldn't have been blessed more."

"I know, having the two women I love the most under the same roof" Ash said teasingly.

"And a Mr. Mime who can't cut cake" I muttered, glancing down the hall to see Delia patiently teaching her Pokémon to cut straight. 

"What was that?" Ash asked in confusion.

"Never mind" I shook my head. "Do you wanna talk to your mom?"

"Yeah, just for a sec."

"Okay. Love you and miss you more each day" I said sadly. As much as I loved receiving Ash's phone calls, sometimes this part was almost too painful to bear.

"Right back at ya. Look after yourself" Ash said worriedly.

"I will. See ya." I gave him one final glance and put the phone on the table, calling for Delia as I made my way back to the kitchen.

*******

A week later I was lying face down on my bed, unable to grab a hold of myself as huge tears rolled down my face, accompanied by sets of sobs. My pillow had been caught in my storm of tears and thus was now drenched, my eyes were stinging and my chest felt like it was going to explode, but I couldn't stop.

I used to think PMS was bad. This was unreal.

Pre-natal depression. As mild as I had it, it was still a killer. It seemed to be in harmony with my hormones, resulting in my bawling. No one was home, Delia had gone to the market with Mimey, so I had that whole house to myself.

I missed Ash. I hated talking about prospective foster parents and legal dealings and whatnot. I was scared of everything that had happened and that was going to happen. Can you blame me for my tears?

Ding dong. Who on earth was ringing the doorbell? I looked like too much of a ruin to answer anyways, so I stayed on my bed letting more tears flow.

Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong.

__

Go away, I silently urged. The ringing stopped and I buried my head in my pillow again. I was so absorbed in my sobbing that a minute later I didn't realise my door had opened - hell, a burglar could've come in and I wouldn't have even lifted my head. But I had to in this case, for someone had put a hand on my shoulder and, not surprisingly, I was curious to see who.

"Who's there?" I whispered, my vision still blurry. Because of this I was forced to rub my eyes but I was in for a shock when halfway through my actions I felt a pair of lips on mine, making me wonder for an insane moment if I was going to be raped or something.

But this kiss was full of the love and tenderness I had only known with one person and I knew I had no need to panic as I melted into the kiss, tears still streaming down my cheeks.

"I've missed you so fricken' much" Ash murmured as he pulled away stroking my cheek. I couldn't get any words out thanks to those bloody tears killing my vocal chords. In fact, no other words were brought forward when Ash pulled me into his comforting embrace and held me close. I stood there so very still, both out of my shock of him being back and my ravaged state.

"What's wrong Mist?" Ash finally whispered in my ear, his warm breath sending tingles down my slumped spine.

"Everything" I sniffled as I desperately tried to regain my composure. Sheesh, it hadn't been that long ago that I was complaining to him that I cried too much, and then there I was, out of control again.

"Has your mom called again?" Ash asked worriedly.

"No." I shook my head and tightened my grip on him. "I missed you, I'm scared, I'm sick of the stupid adoption agencies and I still hate myself cos I'm still a damn emotional wreck."

"Come on, I'll get you a drink" Ash said softly.

"Three fingers of whisky would be great" I mumbled, not really meaning my words.

"Misty" Ash said warningly, gently poking my stomach. "Nuh-uh. You can have juice."

"I don't want juice" I grumbled as I followed him down the stairs.

"No complaining, I had to beg my ass off to get here today" Ash said, rummaging round the fridge as I sat down on the kitchen bench. I would've been right in Delia's way had she been cooking.

"Pass the pickles" I ordered, holding my hand out to indicate I was ready to receive my request.

"Pickles?!" Ash looked horrified.

"Pickles" I repeated. Ash handed me the jar and raised an eyebrow as I started scoffing my snack. "What?" I asked, noticing his bemused expression.

"I could ask you the same thing" Ash laughed. "What's with this new fad?"

"Cwafings" I mumbled with my mouth full.

"Cravings?" Ash asked. I nodded and resumed scoffing while Ash poured me my juice. "You poor thing. Morning sickness and -" he paused to kiss me again - "pickle breath. What a turn-on."

"Mmm, I know" I nodded, finishing off the pickles with a swig of juice. "So what are you doing home now?" I asked, swinging my legs over the bench. Ash sat down beside me and sighed heavily.

"I'd love to tell you it was solely because of my overwhelming longing for one Misty Waterflower, but to be honest it was a mixture of that and utter stress. Things still haven't completely smoothed out up there but at least the Elite are staying put."

"That's good" I said enthusiastically. "I'm just so glad they let you go already. I know it's been hard for you." Scanning my eyes round the kitchen, I dropped my voice when I next spoke. "Does anyone up there…know?"

Ash shook his head. "Do they need to?"

"Well it'll start looking a little risky when you're not at Indigo as often and I'm not at the gym at all" I pointed out.

"At this stage it's not critical that anyone knows, except Mom and your family. The media would twist it into pretzels. But if something leaks and we have to explain ourselves then we don't really have a choice" Ash said. Despite him being there with me, I suddenly felt ready to burst into tears again. The situation hadn't even arisen and already it was reducing me to tears.

"I see" I said flatly, my eyes focused on the kitchen floor. Ash, however, instantly noticed my crestfallen face and placed his hand on top of mine.

"Hey, you don't have to worry about that yet, maybe not even at all. You just worry about yourself."

"How conceited" I smiled weakly. Something suddenly came to my mind and I let out a cry of realisation as I jumped off the bench. "I've gotta do something now that you're here" I announced, hobbling over to the phone.

"What would that be?" Ash asked as he followed me. I turned to him with a wary expression on my face but a smile slicing through my hundreds of emotions.

"Book an ultrasound."

*******

"Waterflower, Misty. Doctor Jenkins will see you now."

"Shit" I muttered at the receptionist's words. Ash helped me up as my mixed feelings threatened to overwhelm me and we followed the receptionist down to room five. 

Ash's hand was as sweaty as mine and I was betting that his heart rate wouldn't have been much slower than my own. Who could blame him? At least I'd actually met the doctor, Ash hadn't even gone through that process yet.

"Hello Misty" Dr. Jenkins greeted me from behind her desk.

"Hi" I meekly replied. No matter how warm or open she was towards me, I still found some kind of power in her that rendered me feeble. 

"And you must be Ash. Pleased to meet you" Dr. Jenkins said as she shook Ash's sweaty hand.

"Um, yeah" Ash said awkwardly. I nearly burst out laughing in a nervous fit of insanity. He usually had such composure - he had to in his high position - and now here he was, totally freaked out by one measly doctor that wasn't even examining him. 

"Well first things first, we've got a due date for you. What will you be doing round the 22nd of April?"

"Having a baby by the sound of it" I said with absolutely no expression.

"Well that does depend on what you decide to do. Have you come to a decision yet?" Dr. Jenkins asked.

"N-no" I stammered, briefly glancing at Ash.

"Just remember, time is running out if you choose to abort" Dr. Jenkins gently reminded us. 

"Yes, we'll talk about it tonight" I announced, probably catching Ash by surprise but dead serious about my words.

"Okay. In that case, I think it's about time we went through with the ultrasound. If the two of you follow me through here, we can begin the procedure."

Why did her words suddenly sound like a death sentence, and why did the walk to the dimly lit room feel like a walk to the gallows? Probably because it was silent, never ending and the scariest paces I'd ever had to take in my life. 

The room itself wasn't exactly comforting. Images of convicted criminals with blindfolds and guns pointed to their heads flashed through my mind but I immediately forced them back out. I had to be a microscopic bit brave, if not for myself then for Ash. There was a single bed and one of those monitors that I'd seen on T.V in the medical dramas. 

"Misty, if you could lie down on the bed and Ash can have a seat I'll get everything ready" Dr. Jenkins instructed. We both did as we were told, Ash's hand never leaving mine, and without being told I half lifted my shirt. I'd seen this on T.V too. The heavy breath I drew in didn't douse my flames of nerves and neither did Ash's peck on my cheek.

"Okay Misty, this gel will be cold" Dr. Jenkins announced about a second before she applied it to my stomach. I drew in a sharp breath - cold was an understatement - and watched the fuzzy images on the monitor slowly becoming defined.

Wow. My insides were on T.V. That was just one of the many strange thoughts running through my head as I intently watched the screen, ignoring the weird sensation of the funny wand slowly gliding over my gelled stomach.

"Okay, I'm getting something here" Dr. Jenkins said, keeping the wand in one place. I squinted. She was? I couldn't see anything. "Look" Dr. Jenkins smiled as she pointed to the screen. "That's a hand."

"Oh my God" Ash and I both gasped at the same time. It was tiny, barely definitive, but it was definitely there. Our baby's hand. I could even make out the fingers. I didn't think it would be that developed that early on. 

Moving the wand lower, Dr. Jenkins also found a barely developed and tiny head, spine and feet. To the untrained eye, it would've been a blurry image of no significance. But I knew. This was a creation of Ash and I, another human being just like any of us. And as I burst into uncontrollable tears (again), I could only sob out my words.

"I can't kill our child, Ash."

A/N: Hmm, this one was kinda short. Oh well! It's another one down. Another one up tomorrow! Hurrah! (what is it with me and that word?) And waaah, the Tall Blacks lost their semi-final game at the World Basketball Champs. Oh how sad. At least they got that far, we were expecting a first round hammering. Anyways that is SO not relevant so I'll go now, thanks for the reviews! AAML forever!


	19. One down, four to go

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon. This must be the hundredth time I've said that in my writing life.

A/N: You guys are awesome! The reviews are so awesome! AWESOME! Thanks so so SO much, they honestly are brill. And now we resume reading. Yay!

****

Chapter Eighteen - One down, four to go

And so it was decided that I would carry our child for the next six months and that those detested adoption agencies would have to be of some use after all. In fact, it was only a week after the ultrasound (in which I was allowed to keep the images but which I promptly shoved under my bed. I couldn't get attached to this baby in any way possible) that Ash and I took our first trip to the adoption agency for an interview with a couple from Cinnabar Island. 

While Ash had been away, I had narrowed down the prospective foster parents to five from different parts of Kanto and Johto. I had been sifting through the applications with Ash the evening before the interview and he seemed to agree that I had made a good short list.

"Hey Mist" Ash spoke up as I furiously scanned over forms.

"Mmhmm" I said distractedly.

"Where are the ultrasound pictures?" Ash asked. 

"Under my bed. Why?" I was still filtering through a sea of paper and not really paying attention to what he was saying.

"Just cos" Ash shrugged. I slowly lifted my head and eyed him seriously as I realised what he had just asked.

"That's not an answer. Now why?" I repeated.

"Because…I thought you might've lost them or something" Ash mumbled.

"Whatever" I sighed, burying my head in my hands. "I can't deal with this" I announced.

"And I can't blame ya. Come on, say you call it a night. You'll need your strength tomorrow" Ash reminded me.

"I'll need my sanity tomorrow. Shame I haven't seen it in a while" I grinned as I stood up.

"Oi, be positive, only two more weeks of these bastards" Ash pointed out, referring to my crutches. He wasn't wrong. I'd been checked up by yet _another _doctor who'd said my leg was healing 'beautifully' and that the cast could come off in two weeks. I'd never been so relieved in my life.

"True." I followed him up the stairs, my head pounding with stress and anxiety. "I'll just go brush my teeth." I didn't need to tell Ash this - it was a daily ritual for me to brush my teeth, find him in my room and to say goodnight to him before we went our separate ways for the night. 

My reflection in the mirror said it all. The rings under my eyes, my pasty skin…I might have been going crazy, but I could have sworn my eyes were a duller shade of blue. I shut my eyes tight that night I brushed my teeth. I also looked out the window and, just for the hell of it and because it was true, swore that my mother's heart was the shade of black the night sky was. 

I shook out my hair as I walked down the hall to my room and found the door wide open, as always it was at this time of night. I smiled, knowing Ash would already be in there, and slowly walked in. The sight before me made me freeze with an emotion I couldn't quite understand, but nonetheless it definitely stopped me in my tracks.

It wasn't a huge shock or anything, so I don't know what was up with me when I found myself unable to talk or move. I knew it was my fault, I had let it slip only minutes before.

"Ash…" He jumped in surprise at the sound of his name but he couldn't hide the evidence as he stared at me with guilty eyes. "I put the ultrasound pictures under my bed for a reason."

"But…but Mist, look, those tiny little fingers and that little curl of a spine." Ash smiled down at the image and slowly stroked his finger over it. "Isn't it amazing?"

I slowly walked over and sat on my bed, looking down at him while he was on the floor. "It is. It truly is" I confessed. "But it's also impossible for either of us to get close to this baby. We only have one option and you know what that is."

"I know" Ash sighed. "Do you think if we were older we'd be able to bring it up ourselves?"

"I don't know" I replied softly, unable to meet his eyes. "And it's stupid to think things like that because in six months this baby isn't going to be a part of our lives. It's going to go to people who can look after it properly, who can promise it shelter and warmth and food. We can't guarantee that."

"But my salary from the League would -"

"Ash" I interrupted firmly. "Don't. We are not keeping this baby. We've been through enough." Ash kept his eyes on the images for a few seconds with a forlorn face, like a little boy who had just been told by his mother that he can't have sweets before dinner, and put the pictures back under my bed before sitting next to me.

"I'm sorry Mist. This is just so…"

"Conflicting?" I supplied. Ash nodded and I sighed. "We have to be realistic about this. The both of us are barely sixteen years old" (Ash had turned sixteen a month before I had, while he was still up at Indigo) "and even now, with this decision made, our future is still incredibly uncertain. A lot can happen in six months. We could have a huge row and vow never to speak to each other again, my mother might, for some absurd reason, be willing to forgive me and want me home…the list goes on."

"I know" Ash said solemnly. "Would you go home if your mom said you could?" 

I laughed to hide my sudden nerves the question had injected in me. "What's with the third degree, Ash? All these questions…"

"Misty, I'm serious. If your mom forgave you and wanted you home, what would you do?" Ash repeated. I bit my lip and scanned my eyes round the room, searching for an answer that I couldn't find.

"It'll never happen, so don't -"

"Answer the question" Ash interrupted. I gulped. I wasn't going to get out of this one.

"Okay, fine, I don't have a clue what I would do. I'd love to say that I would flatly refuse and stay here with you, but…" I sighed and kept my gaze on his surprised face. "They're my family. I miss Dad so much, and I still owe my sisters big time."

"I owe them too" Ash said.

"However, at the same time I am incredibly in love with you." I smiled and kissed him to prove it. "The thought of being away from you again is a truly terrifying one. And you know, you are like my true family, you and Delia. I don't think I could live with Mom again either. It would result in murder" I rolled my eyes. "Why did you ask anyways?" 

"Cos I'm a paranoid bastard afraid of losing you again" Ash grinned. "Forget I asked, I don't want you worrying about insignificant things right before this huge significant thing tomorrow. Will you be able to sleep alright tonight?"

"I'll be fine" I said assuredly. "Make sure you get some sleep too. Sweet dreams and all that."

"About you, always" Ash said. With that he leaned over and kissed me, once again making me slip away from reality as my mind refused to tell me to let go. We were treading deep waters by making it last and develop as long as it did. The whole conversation about the prospect of me going back to Cerulean had obviously made me appreciate him more, because I was finding it impossible to pull away. 

"Misty, I thought you'd need some -"

Shit. I'd left the door open.

I screamed at the sound of Delia's voice, the only trigger that tore me away from her son, and stared in acute embarrassment at her frozen form standing in the doorway. I couldn't look at her for long without feeling myself turning red so I kept my eyes to the floor, a much safer and less humiliating option.

"Mom! Can't you knock or something?" Ash asked wearily, rubbing his elbow from where it had hit the headrest of my bed when I'd pushed him away.

"Look, I don't care what the two of you got up to at Washbay, but none of that goes on under my roof. Do you hear me, Ashton?"

"Yeah yeah Mom, okay" Ash muttered in obvious embarrassment. I had to use all my willpower to stifle the giggles that were erupting through my dissolving shame.

"I brought some more towels up for you, hun" Delia said, turning back to me with her normal cheering approach. 

"Thanks Delia" I said gratefully.

"I'll let you two say your goodnights. I know the both of you have a big day tomorrow." Delia smiled sympathetically and left as if nothing had happened. I stole one tiny glance at Ash and immediately burst into hysterics at the incident. I found myself unable to stop, even when tears spilt over my eyes and my stomach yelled at me in pain.

"Oh God" I gasped as my laughter slowly died down. "Man, that was the funniest…" I couldn't finish my sentence when more laughs escaped my mouth and Ash finally cracked a smile.

"Yeah, it was funny for those of us who didn't get injured" he commented lightly, still nursing his bruised elbow.

"Aww, I'm sorry" I apologised when I found some air to talk. I crawled up behind him and wrapped my arms around his chest, showing him how apologetic and grateful I was to him. I briefly kissed his cheek before leaning my head on his shoulder, almost as if it were a pillow my wary head craved.

"Don't fall asleep there. I've gotta get to my room before Mom starts cooking up a lecture" Ash said as he stroked my hands.

"I can't move" I said softly. "What a shame." I didn't actually move for about two minutes and neither of us said a word either. It was just comforting to know the other was there, I guess. We would need each other even more from now on. The only thing that eventually pulled me away from him was the image of Delia walking in on a scene that had developed into something so heavy so fast, and I felt my shoulders starting to shake at the giggles I was restraining.

"Don't start that again" Ash said wearily, which only caused me to fully laugh out loud again as I fell back on my bed in hysterics.

"It was sooo funny…your face…and your mom…" I continued to chuckle to myself as Ash stood up. I was lying down trying to catch my breath when he planted a small goodnight kiss on my lips.

"Sleep well" Ash said.

"I'd just like any kind of sleep" I groaned. "See ya tomorrow." I blew him a kiss as he reached the door and watched him walk out with a lighter heart and, for the first time in months, I fell asleep with a smile on my face that night, even with the impending doom of the forthcoming day.

*******

"'We offer the best ongoing care for your child with many couples interviewed and your preferences placed first'" I read from the pamphlet I was holding at the adoption agency's waiting room. "This isn't a bloody boarding school for Chrissakes. Their pamphlets make it sound like one" I snorted.

"Misty" Ash hissed, sharply nudging me to emphasise his idea of me somehow being in the wrong.

"What? They do, listen: 'For a small fee, we can place your child in warm, comfortable and loving family environments.' Next thing you know they'll be sending out the term dates and stationery fees." I flicked the pamphlet back down on the table that was next to me and literally started biting my nails. "What if these people are horrible? What if they want to make a Cinderella out of our kid and just force it to work day and night?"

"Will you relax? You read the pamphlet, you've talked to this agency before, they'll make sure everything goes okay. There are four other choices we've got backed up too. Besides, didn't Cinderella become a princess in the end?" Ash grinned. I shrugged, not really all ears to his words.

There were two other couples in the room and they were all a hell of a lot older than us. I could've sworn the couple opposite us were sending us the most discreet of disapproving looks, especially now that I was about a week away from hitting the four month mark and that bump was getting bigger. Not maternity dress size bigger, but bigger all the same. My mother would have died of embarrassment by now if she'd still been hanging round me. 

I had not had a good night's sleep. Falling asleep with a smile on your face does not always equal easy sleeping. This had been discovered when I woke up four times and at one stage found myself reading to draw in some desperately wanted fatigue. Thinking on my own only led to fear and possibly depression, so I read fiction. It had always seemed such a long shot from my own life, but the dramas I was reading in my book gave me a sort of kinship with reality nowadays. Deceits, romances, last minute decisions and twists and turns. See my point?

"Misty Waterflower and…uh, Ash Ketchum."

All heads snapped up at the last name the head of the agency had called out and I cringed. They knew who he was. The rumours would fire up, the whispers would travel faster than the speed of sound…oh man. That was a potentially fatal move the head had just made for us. Thanks mate.

The two of us stood up and Ash tried to keep a brave face about the stares people were giving us but I knew what he was thinking. Thoughts that are probably too obscene to subject to the public. I kept quiet as we walked into the room and the door was shut behind us. I didn't want to open my mouth for fear of verbally abusing the head for her clumsy mistake. 

"Have a seat, you two. May I firstly congratulate the pair of you for choosing such a fine agency to leave your child with" the lady started. _Boarding school_, I thought wearily. "My name is Sarah Jameson, and I've been running this agency for nine years now. We know the difficulties of giving up a child, especially at such a young age and in such…um, circumstances" she said, staring directly at Ash. 

"Okay Ms. Jameson, I firstly want to get one thing straight with you" Ash said severely, catching both myself and this Sarah lady by surprise. "My status in the Pokémon League has to be, in no way at all, brought into this. No decisions will be made on the basis of considering my position and I'd greatly appreciate it if all of this wasn't brought into any sort of speculation anywhere."

Sarah looked stunned by his forceful tone and I was staring at him in some sort of shock as well. He certainly didn't sound sixteen. He sounded about twice his age and like he should be wearing some sort of suit. 

"A-absolutely, Mr. Ketchum" Sarah stammered. She went into a flutter of burying herself in her notes, probably as a way of avoiding meeting our eyes, and found a sheet that seemed to have my name on it a lot. I couldn't quite see. "So the both of you have definitely confirmed that you're adopting out? Once you sign the forms concerning the parents you can't decide for abortion, and if you decide to keep the baby you have to give them and us at least a month's notice."

"We're adopting out" I said firmly. "Hand over the prelim forms." Ash's forceful attitude must have rubbed off on me, and Sarah must have absolutely detested us by now. Two young brats being incredibly rude to someone who was pretty much dictating their future. 

Nonetheless, she gave us the forms and I signed my name three times without hesitation. This was happening. Ash also signed his name, slowly and delicately signing away his child to strangers we hadn't even met yet. 

"Right, well with that sorted I guess we're only waiting on -" Sarah was interrupted by her intercom buzzing. "Excuse me" she said politely before pressing a button that caused an unfamiliar voice to filter through.

"Mr and Mrs. Sanderson are here."

"Okay, tell them to come straight through" Sarah instructed before switching off the intercom. "That's the couple you're about to meet. Now, you can ask any questions - within reason," she hastily added, "and that you think are relative to the subject at hand. They've flown all the way from Cinnabar Island so please be polite." She almost sounded like a mother begging a child to be on their best behaviour before a dinner party. 

"Polite is my middle name" I muttered to Ash, who hung his head to hide his grinning face. 

A minute later the door opened and I swiftly turned around to face a nervous looking blonde couple who were clutching each other's hands and not keeping their eyes in one place. 

__

The shadows of the prison gates clang around me…

"John and Madison Sanderson, this is Misty Waterflower and Ash Ketchum" Sarah introduced us. After the friendly smiles and handshakes the two of them sat down in chairs beside us. Madison had an annoying habit of drumming her manicured nails against the armrest which almost drove me crazy before we'd even started talking. 

"Okay, I'll start with an easy question first - why do you two want our child?" It was as polite as I could put it, but Sarah was obviously unimpressed as she nervously darted her eyes to the couple.

"Because…well, we've been married five years, and we've tried so hard to produce a child but we can't. I've miscarried six times and we're just so frustrated" Madison explained.

"We love kids. If we can't have any of our own than this is the next best thing" John added. _Oh, so we're kinda like your last resort then? _I thought darkly, but didn't dare say it. I knew what lines I couldn't cross.

"And you'd promise to love it, care for it, be there for it when it needs you most?" Ash asked.

"Entirely. It would be the most important thing in our lives" Madison replied.

"What do the two of you do for a living?" I asked cautiously. 

"I'm a nurse and John's a meatpacker."

Nurse? Meatpacker?! Geez, my poor kid would be brought up with people who came home splattered in blood every day. I was already intuitively doubting this round. 

"Do you consider Cinnabar Island to be a good place to bring up children? I mean, it's near the ocean which is a potential drowning risk, and it's practically a volcano on its own, plus it's rather isolated. You believe these are good conditions for a child to grow up in?" I was now dictating the questions, Ash not getting a word in edgewise and my doubts fuelling to my hostility.

"Um…" John looked uncomfortable at the question. "Cinnabar is virtually a family on its own, even if it is isolated from the rest of Kanto. We're all a community together and we all like to get together for picnics and such, let our kids run around."

"But so far we have no kids to let run around at the picnics" Madison said. After hearing this, a question instantly came to mind and I prayed it wasn't too rude or outspoken.

"What do your friends think of you being childless?"

"They feel so sorry for us. We're sick of the sympathy" Madison sighed, as though it were a huge burden.

Eeek, that was it! No way were these people having my kid so they could have a little one to run around the picnics and to fill in the sympathy complaints. Children are not about image, for crying out loud!

"All we've ever wanted is a proper family portrait standing on our mantelpiece, a niece or nephew for our siblings, a grandchild for our parents" John said. Woah buddy, hold up, you're only digging your grave deeper here.

"Do either of you smoke?" Ash suddenly asked. Hmm, good question.

"I do" Madison said almost instantaneously. 

"And you wonder why you have so many miscarriages?" I mumbled under my breath. No way. These were not the ones. Smokers and people who dealt with blood and who lived in the middle of nowhere were not my idea of parents. Call me biased or whatever you like, but I knew we could do better.

"Right, well if there are no further questions from either of you I guess we can wrap it up" Sarah announced. The Sandersons stood up and shook our hands again before quietly exiting the room, muttering to each other in whispered tones.

"Awful. Tell them to find people who don't mind giving up their kids for abusive purposes" I said in total aloofness. Once again, Sarah was shocked by my words.

"They're not abusive people, Misty" she said calmly.

"Are you kidding? They just want to have a child to look good, not cos they'd love it or want to give it the best of anything. I'm sorry but company picnics and family portraits are not good enough reasons." 

"Well, this is your choice, so I guess we're crossing them off the list" Sarah sighed. "You know, that was one of the shortest interviews I've ever conducted. Maybe that's something to be proud of. When do you want to have another interview with the next couple? You can't leave it too long because we need to sort out the legal dealings and all that."

"Oh God, we've still got four more to go" I groaned.

"Um, can we give you a call tomorrow, Ms. Jameson?" Ash asked oh so politely. 

"Of course, of course. I know it's been tough for the both of you, so you can have this day to think about when you'd prefer to interview the next people. So until tomorrow, I look forward to hearing from you" Sarah said with a plastic smile. I don't know how she could have genuinely smiled at us now after all the stress we'd just put her through.

The two of us left and didn't say a word as we walked through central Pallet Town. Our walk was leisurely in the autumn sunshine - it was mid-November by now, autumn wouldn't be round much longer - but I couldn't look up to see all its beauty. My eyes refused to stop staring at the ground. My mind was somehow trying to tell me that those people weren't _all _bad. Six miscarriages would have been hell to go through and I'm sure their parents were desperately unhappy at the prospect of no grandchildren. But then again, they had briefly said something about siblings somewhere there…

"Mist? You okay?" Ash asked.

"Sorta" I shrugged. "That wasn't exactly the most fun thing I've ever had to do. Having my teeth extracted and living with my mother for fifteen years probably equalised with it."

"I know it's not easy, and the worst thing is it's probably not gonna get any easier, no matter how many people we interview. We just have to keep our heads high about this. Hopefully by the time I leave for the League we would've found some very nice, loving people who instinctively catch our eye and who promise the best for our baby. Remember what I said, only the best for you" Ash said, kissing the top of my head as we walked.

"This isn't just me though. You could've said something if you wanted to instead of just handing the steering wheel entirely to me" I teased.

"I asked an extremely important question. I dunno if it matters to you but I don't want our kid being brought up around smokers. It's a potential risk factor for cot death, asthma and all these other horrible things" Ash shuddered.

"Wow, someone's been doing their homework" I said with wide eyes. I was impressed to say the least, not to mention surprised. I didn't realise he was taking this whole process so seriously.

"I sure have" Ash laughed. "Plus the fact that they were blonde kinda knocked me down a bit."

"Now Ash, that is just slightly prejudiced" I said warningly.

"No, I was thinking…when the kid got older, wouldn't it wonder why it didn't have blonde hair when both its so-called parents did? I don't think either of us will be giving it the blonde gene somehow" Ash grinned.

"That's truly pathetic" I giggled. "If you're going to base your idea of good parents on hair colour then maybe you shouldn't be a part of this."

"Ah, but whether you like it or not, my dear, I am a part of this and forever will be. So I guess you're stuck with me" Ash shrugged.

"Yeah, until you leave for the wonderful League" I said sarcastically. "How long are you gonna be gone this time?"

"Well you know how long a tournament takes, probably around a month. The dates haven't been confirmed yet."

"A month?!" I shrieked.

"Mist, keep your voice down" Ash pleaded as people were forced to turn around by the sound of my voice.

"You were already gone nearly three months, then two weeks, and now _another _month? Are you crazy? Do you have any idea at all how much I'm going to miss you?" I asked softly.

"You don't have to worry about that now, okay? I'm not going for two months" Ash reminded me.

"So? Do you realise that when you get back I'll be seven months pregnant? Seven months?!" 

"Which is why I want us to find foster parents before I leave" Ash said calmly. "I want to leave knowing that everything here is settled. I can't go up there worrying about even more things down here when I'll already be worrying about you enough."

"Don't worry about me, for Chrissakes. I've got your mother, she worries enough for the both of you. Just go and then get your ass back here as quickly as possible" I grinned.

"Glad to see you being such a good sport about this" Ash said wearily. I grasped his hand and smiled up at him.

"I have to be. For my own sanity if anything."

We walked home to break the news to Delia, whose hopeful face immediately went into a crestfallen downcast. She was quick to reassure us that we still had four more chances, that surely one of them would be 'the one' as she put it. She was always one for being optimistic, I later mused.

So one interview had been crap. There would be better. This was my reassuring thought for that particular night, as I seemed to have a different one every night, and my eyes closed in yet another distracted slumber as I temporarily departed my constant worries.

A/N: Yay! I'm so happy, TV3 have decided to replay Pokémon episodes all the way back from the Orange Islands series! WOOOO! I get to tape the episodes I missed! Anyways I really should run because I'm supposed to be typing up my chapter for Dilemmas of the Heart (Joy-Girl, it's getting there! It'll be up before Friday!) so stay cool everyone, another chapter tomorrow!


	20. Christmas blues

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon.  
  
A/N: I would upload two today since I missed out last night (sorry about that, I was watching a documentary, didn't realise it went on for two hours!) but I have run out of time at the prospect of my holiday! Oops. So here is one chapter at least, yay!   
  
Chapter Nineteen - Christmas blues.  
  
December loomed up on me like an inevitable calm that followed the storm, a calm I was eternally grateful for. Every day it was just Ash and I, lost in our own little world and only brought back to reality with the baby business, as we both started calling it. Two more interviews had ensued after the Sandersons of Cinnabar and neither were much more promising. One couple had pretty much made it clear that they wanted a playmate for their four-year old son and that they couldn't be bothered going through another pregnancy themselves.  
  
Extra good news - my cast had come off at long last. The freedom I had forgotten about was once again returned to me and I used it to my full advantage, dancing, running, tramping and mostly risking breaking it again with the amount of physical activities I went through.  
  
It got cold. Really, unbelievably, sub-zero cold. Coming from the north, I was not used to the 'Southern Sting' of Pallet Town and especially not used to snow. This was pretty evident when the first bucketful lavished the house and I immediately ran outside to dance and catch snowflakes on my tongue. Ash, although somewhat amused, was undeniably embarrassed at his girlfriend making a complete nut of herself in his front yard.  
  
"It's just snow" he muttered when I returned covered in the frosty particles. "And it's damn cold. That can't be good for the baby."  
  
"The baby is fine" I said as I removed my coat and shook out my hair. My stomach was now impossible to squeeze into jeans, cruelly protruding from the seams when I could barely do up the buttons, so I had now resorted to…dungarees. Now I'm not one to be particularly fashion conscious, but dungarees?! It was either that or huge dresses, which resulted in a Misty Popsicle in temperatures such as these, so I stuck with the heinous fashion statement.  
  
"How do you know the baby is fine?" Ash asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Because I have woman's intuition" I grinned, ruffling his hair as I passed him on my way to the kitchen. What did I feel like scoffing today? Ice-cream looked absolutely delectable but far too cold, so I put it in the microwave to melt.  
  
"Ahhh, Misty! You don't put ice-cream in the microwave!" Ash exclaimed in horror.  
  
"You've never had ice-cream soup?" I asked in shock.  
  
"No…" Ash replied uncertainly.  
  
"Neither have I, so I'm about to." Ding. The microwave stopped and my sugar-liquid delight was ready, much to Ash's disgust.   
  
"It's called ice-cream for a reason" he mumbled.  
  
"Yeah, and you're called Ash for a reason - cos your mood is about the same colour as your name. Lighten up, would you? It's snowing, we've got three interviews out of the way, and…" I paused, counting up numbers in my head. "It's twelve days until Christmas. So where's my partridge in a pear tree, true love?" I teased.  
  
"It's in the mail" Ash swore with genuine eyes and I laughed at the expression on his face. "I can get you something better than a partridge in a pear tree. I can get you 365 mistletoe and hang them over your head every day, so you'd be forced to kiss me every day for an entire year."  
  
"That's a sweet idea but it's kinda dumb" I commented as I wrapped my arms around his neck.  
  
"Why is it dumb?"  
  
"Because I don't need an incentive to kiss you every day for a year or more" I said softly. I proved it through the kiss I bestowed upon him and my temporary forgetfulness regarding my ice-cream soup. But the kiss was cut short when I felt a strange sensation in my stomach and pulled away from him with a puzzled look on my face  
  
"Everything okay?" Ash asked.  
  
"I dunno…" I said uncertainly. The feeling hit me again and I gasped as I realised what it was. Should I tell him? Was it for the benefit of us all if I did? Or would he be unforgivably angry? I looked into his eyes and knew I had to tell him. It wasn't even a big deal but I knew it would be for him. I silently took his hand and, drawing in a deep breath, placed it on my oversized stomach, much to his surprise and curiosity.  
  
"What's this all about? Are you in labour or something?" Ash asked worriedly.  
  
"No no no" I laughed. "Just wait a sec." He waited as patiently as he could before he felt it at the same time I did and jumped back in surprise. "You do know what that was, don't you?" I grinned.  
  
"I think so" Ash replied. He seemed almost dazed and was looking at me curiously, which only caused me to let out a few more giggles.  
  
"It's okay Ash, I haven't instantly become a freak of nature in the last minute. Dr. Jenkins said the baby would start kicking about now, it's nothing to be worried about. Kinda nice actually."  
  
"Nice?" Ash inquired. "You think someone kicking you from inside is nice? Doesn't it hurt?"   
  
"Not at all. It's a five month old fetus, it's not exactly gonna be striking for Brazil anytime soon. Keep your hand there, it's your child's way of communicating with you" I explained.  
  
"You been reading textbooks or something? And besides, I thought we weren't supposed to be getting attached to this baby in any way possible" Ash reminded me as he placed his hand back on my stomach.  
  
"I know, but…" I sighed when another kick shot through me. "Sometimes I do actually listen to Barney the Dinosaur. All that crap about how fun it is to use your imagination."  
  
"You're losing it, Misty, heeding advice from a purple dinosaur who looks like he's been stoned half his life" Ash said, rolling his eyes as he spoke. I beamed a smile at him before swiveling my head round at the sound of Delia's sudden but undeniable high-pitched squeal.   
  
"Is it kicking?!" she asked, her voice still a few octaves above its usual timbre.  
  
"Yup. Only just started" I said proudly.   
  
"Okay, make way, grandmother coming through!" Delia declared as she practically shoved her son away to replace his hand with her own. There were a few seconds blissful silence before the baby decided to live up to its grandmother's expectations and gave a hearty jolt, much to her delight.  
  
"Enjoy it Mom, you're not gonna be a grandmother for long" Ash sighed.  
  
"Well you certainly know how to put a dampener on things, don't you?" Delia asked rhetorically. Ash shrugged and, seeing her son in such a flat mood, Delia turned around to face him. "Is anything the matter, sweetie? You're awfully…well, unlike yourself."  
  
"I just don't see what you're getting so excited about. In four months we'll be giving up that baby for good and then we'll probably have to bury this whole thing in the back of our minds forever, as though it never happened" Ash explained. There was a drawn out silence after his comments, considering they were all depressing and all true.  
  
"Ash, you've gotta remember that no matter what, this child is yours. No matter where it goes or who it lives with, it will always be a Ketchum and a Waterflower. I don't need to give you the responsibility lecture because the both of you are being extremely responsible and brave for going through all this" Delia said soothingly.  
  
"Why couldn't we be responsible at Washbay, when it mattered?" Ash asked sarcastically.  
  
"It matters now. I know this is tough on you baby, but you've come this far, don't give up now. Especially this close to Christmas, because…" A devious grin appeared on Delia's face and Ash raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Because…?" he repeated.  
  
"Follow me" Delia instructed, leading us out of the kitchen with a quick pace into the living room, where I drew in a sharp breath at what was in front of us. A towering Christmas tree stood proudly against the wall, undecorated and radiating the unmistakable scent of pine, and a large box sat underneath it.  
  
"A real tree?!" Ash asked in astonishment.  
  
"I thought we'd give the artificial one the biff this year" Delia announced. "With my son home for Christmas and my near-daughter with him, I decided it would be nice. You two can decorate it any way you want, as long as the angel goes up the top. That's the only rule in Christmas decoration in this household, right Ash?"  
  
"Absolutely" Ash nodded in excitement. Christmas always brought the child out in him, I remembered with a smile as I watched him run over to the cardboard box. "Come on Misty, don't you think the tinsel should go on first?"   
  
"Sure" I agreed, walking over to join him under the tree. Maybe, I thought as I started sifting through various ornaments, my first Christmas away from home wouldn't be so bad after all.  
  
*******  
  
More snow fell and more cold Palletonians made their last minute Christmas shopping dash in the dropping temperatures as I began to get more and more into the festive season. Mistletoe went up everywhere at the Ketchum household, causing Ash to receive embarrassed pecks on his cheeks from the two women who loved him most when he least expected it, and I strung all the Christmas cards around the lounge and placed any incoming presents under the tree.  
  
There were four for me, one that was unidentified that had come through the mail, one from Ash, one from Delia and an envelope. The envelope really baffled me. No return address or anything.  
  
Christmas Day was a day to remember for so many reasons. For one thing, it was one of those rare days that Ash arose from his slumber before ten in the morning - in fact, he woke me up at 7 - and I got to open presents the traditional way, with carols playing in the background and the three of us sitting by the tree. I'd never done this before. In my household, it had been a mad frenzy of wrapping paper for five minutes before a round of grateful acknowledgements and an immediate trip up to one's room to discover one's new treasures.   
  
"Open mine first, Mist!" Ash insisted in pure exhilaration. I laughed and did as I was told, slowly and delicately unwrapping the carefully packaged gift. It looked small, and I correctly assumed that it was some sort of jewelry, but not a piece so breathtaking that I could only stare at it in sheer shock. "You don't like sapphires?" Ash asked worriedly.  
  
"I…I love sapphires" I whispered. It was sapphires alright. A whole chain of them in the form of a bracelet. Seven perfect heart shaped sapphires linked by a simple gold chain that was now adorning my wrist as Ash snapped it on. "Oh Ash, it's beautiful…it must have cost you a fortune…" I said, my voice trembling like the tears in my eyes that were threatening to spill over.  
  
"It didn't cost that much, and you shouldn't worry about that anyways. It's yours and…well, did you read the letter?"  
  
"Letter?" I repeated. I peered back in the box to find a square of paper folded up four times and slowly took it out. "What's this?"  
  
"Duh, it's a letter" Ash laughed. "You don't have to read it now. I wrote it when I was up at Indigo. That's where I bought that, so hopefully no one else in Pallet will have one." I lost words with the valuable piece of paper sitting limply in my hand and instead threw my arms around him in total gratitude and love. It was an embrace that spoke more volumes than words could and I finally pulled away to find Ash's lips meeting mine.   
  
"Now you hafta open mine" I quietly instructed. "Though I don't know how the hell it's gonna compare to this…" I trailed off. I flashed my wrist up to Delia, who was on the phone to her aunty in Celadon City, and she beamed me a shocked smile.   
  
"Okay, what have we got here" Ash muttered as he began tearing away the wrapping paper from my present. I wasn't sure if he would like what I got him but I could only pray for the best. He opened up the box the present was in, his eyes widening in an emotion I think mingled shock and happiness.  
  
"Do you like it?" I asked cautiously. "I know it doesn't really compare to jewelry or anything expensive like that, but -" I was cut off when Ash initiated another kiss between us, much to my surprise and delight.   
  
"It is the best present I've ever received" he mumbled as he pulled away.  
  
"You're a terrible liar" I giggled.  
  
"I'm serious, Mist. I love it, I honestly love it. And I love you" Ash smiled. I don't know how he could've been so happy over an enlarged photo in a frame, but he seemed over the moon about it. The photo was one Delia had taken of us about a month ago and on the back of the frame I had left a small note tucked in the corner, which Ash was now reading.  
  
Ash - I know it's not exactly materialistic, and I'm sorry for that. This is probably more difficult to carry around than your wallet pic but I thought you'd want something a bit more updated. I love you and will never be more grateful to you. Merry Christmas. All my love in the world, Misty W. xxoo  
  
"You get me a bracelet and I get you a photo. Anyone else seeing the contrast here?" I asked as Delia got off the phone.   
  
"Shush Misty. How many times do I have to tell you I love it? And you're absolutely right, I do need an update from that wallet pic" Ash grinned.   
  
I opened the rest of my presents, discovering that Delia had bought me a beautiful blue silk scarf that I'd had my eye on for a while, and that the unidentified present was from my sisters. They had sent me some money and a globe of Cerulean that danced in snowflakes when I shook it. They had also enclosed a short letter, which made me smile and almost want to cry at the same time.  
  
Hey Misty!  
  
We miss you sooo much, so here we are sending you pointless Christmas crap. We know it's a little disappointing, a stupid globe, but maybe you'll like it. Things here are same old, Mom is being her usual bitchy self and your name isn't allowed to be mentioned in her presence so we keep quiet about you. Please be careful, Mist. You know what she can do. How is chilly Pallet Town? How is hot Ash? Haha, sorry, that was Lily's doing. Hope you're holding up okay, email us sometime, we always love hearing from you. Have an awesome Christmas and keep your head high. We love and miss you heaps! Stay cool!  
  
Your ultra awesome sistas, Daisy, Violet and Lily.  
  
I handed the letter over to Ash, who read it with a few laughs and a smile at the end of it. "You're lucky they're on your side, since your Mom obviously isn't."  
  
"Can't change the spots on a leopard" I shrugged. Mom wasn't really a concern for me. I had saved the intriguing envelope for last, and cautiously opened it only to discover a simple Christmas card. I wasn't disappointed or anything, just even further intrigued until I opened it up and discovered a lot of writing on the left side. Familiar writing that immediately caused my eyes to well up.  
  
Dear Misty,  
  
I don't quite know where to begin with this because so many thoughts are going through my mind and it's hard to get them down on paper. Every day without your presence is another twist in my heart, but at the same time so is what you did. I never imagined someone like you would become a statistic like teen pregnancy. It's saddening, yet at the same time that night you came home I saw it in your eyes. You do love that boy and he loves you. Love is a gift that shouldn't be tarnished and while your mother is trying to achieve this, I can now say that I am not totally against your boyfriend, even in spite of what he - the both of you - have done. He makes you happy, and that is all I ever wanted for you. Happiness and love are the two most important things in the world. With you I got both, and with Ash you will get both, so all I can do is be happy for you now. These are horrible circumstances for the both of you to be under but I want you to know that I am eternally sorry for the way I behaved when your mother   
  
told me and that I'll always love you as a daughter and a friend.  
  
Be happy, and have a Merry Christmas. Hoping to see you soon.  
  
Dad.   
  
"Oh God" I choked out, wiping the tears off my cheeks. Ash eyed me quizzically and I answered by handing him the card, which he quickly read over and then became incredibly silent. A comforting arm suddenly went around my shoulders and I buried my head in Ash's chest, not sure whether to be happy or be overwhelmed with grief at the thought of my forgiving father so far away. "At least he likes you" I sort of whispered, not sure if he had understood my words at all.  
  
"And I like him. He's an incredible man who's the complete opposite to your mother. I can see where you get all your traits from now" Ash said softly. I nodded, not quite sure how to respond, when the phone rang.  
  
Delia answered with her usual cheery disposition, despite my tears, and then turned to me with a puzzled look on her face.  
  
"Misty, it's for you."  
  
"Got any idea who it is?" I asked as I stood up to grab the phone. Delia shrugged as she handed me the phone and I drew in a deep breath before answering. "Hey, this is Misty."  
  
"Miss Waterflower, what a pleasure to talk to you at last" a male voice replied. I raised an eyebrow, not quite sure where this was going.  
  
"Um, okay" I stammered.  
  
"I'm a reporter for the Pallet Sunday Star, and I -"  
  
"Reporter?!" I screamed, eyeing Ash in a panic. Oh shit. Reporters were never good.   
  
"Calm down, I only want to ask you one question."  
  
"Why me? Are you doing a survey or something? Has something leaked to you guys?" I asked panickly.  
  
"Is something not supposed to be leaked?" the reporter replied deviously. I lost words and waited for him to go on. "All I wanted to ask you, Miss Waterflower, is how does it feel to be carrying the child of the world's youngest Pokémon Master?"  
  
A/N: Oooh! Hurrah! I am now handing the duties of uploading and such over to Geodude, so no worries, you'll still get to read it even if I'm across the Tasman Sea! Hope you enjoyed, thanks for the reviews, and I'll be back to hear what you guys have to say overall! Cheers everyone! 


	21. So backstabbers run in the family

DISCLAMER-I Don't Own Pokemon!.  
  
A/N Ok guys sorry about the delay, And now. with a tanned sass in austraila, this is the Geodde saying away we go!.  
  
Chapter Twenty - So backstabbers run in the family.  
  
Things pretty much snowballed from that first phonecall. Ash and I couldn't go outside due to the sea of media camped outside his house and the magazines and TV were full of it.  
  
"World's Youngest Pokémon Master Knocks Up Youngest Waterflower Sister."  
  
"Master of Disaster - Ash Ketchum's Biggest Challenge Yet."  
  
"Misty-eyed and Ashen-faced."  
  
You get the picture. None of it was pleasant and the New Year only brought new miseries to both our individual lives. Mom called in absolute rage over all of it, especially when I accused her of being the one who leaked it, but she fiercely denied that it was her. I was forced to stay inside for nearly a month until Ash announced that we would hold a press conference at his house and then that would be the end of it. No more questions, no more pictures.  
  
Poor Ash had it ten times worse than I did. He was far more in the public eye than I had ever been and now this only made the monstrosity of it all increase. And it wasn't just the media who were making his life miserable.  
  
A week before he was due to leave for the League and two days before the scheduled press conference, he got a phone call from Adam Wilding, the head of the Indigo Plateau, who was livid Ash hadn't told him earlier. I didn't actually hear the conversation because I was holed up in my room tapping away an email to my father on Ash's laptop, but it was impossible to deny something was wrong when he slowly walked into my room and closed the door behind him. I genuinely thought he was sick, he was that pale.  
  
"Ash? Do you feel alright?" I asked worriedly as I stood up to face him.  
  
"I feel like shit" Ash hoarsely croaked out. He sat down on my bed and buried his face in his hands, and I was shocked to discover two rivers of tears staining his cheeks.  
  
"What's happened, Ash? Come on, you have to tell me" I urged.  
  
"I have to…I h-have to…" He sniffled and wiped his eyes before continuing. "That was Adam on the phone. This tournament is gonna be my last" he quietly announced.  
  
"WHAT?!" I shouted. "You're giving up your title?" Ash nodded and for a moment I was too flabbergasted to speak. "But why? Surely it doesn't have to come down to that?"  
  
"Adam just told me that they can't have a Pokémon Master with an illegitimately pregnant girlfriend. The fact that I slept with you underage is illegal and could wind me up in a lot of trouble and they don't want that. They're all getting hassled for answers up there, it's getting outta control. Not to mention the fact that he's absolutely pissed I kept this from him. So he's said if I wanna keep my title I hafta give up you. I said no way."  
  
Ohhh shit. My mind was going back to that conversation I'd had with him about whether he would choose me over the League. Shit shit shit, what had I done?  
  
"Ash…oh God, Ash you don't have to -"  
  
"Yes I do, dammit! I already lost you once because of that damn League and I was more depressed than I will be at losing the title, so screw it. I'd rather lose the title and the hassles and the media than lose the love and happiness I have with you" Ash explained.  
  
"Happiness? You call this happiness?" I asked, standing up and throwing back the curtain to be greeted by shouts of questions and demands for pictures. I vacantly stared out the window at the reporters and Ash walked up beside me in plain view of the cameras.  
  
"No. That's not happiness. This is." And with that he initiated a long kiss between us, one that drove the photographers crazy and one that I was panicking about regretting later. Then again, what harm was there in a kiss? I returned it with all the love and passion he was bestowing on me and broke away with a dazed smile on my face and tears brimming my eyes.  
  
"Please don't give up the title, Ash. I'm sorry I was so selfish in asking you to choose, I don't want you to be unhappy."  
  
"If you don't want me to be unhappy then you won't mind me giving up the title. It's going, Mist. As soon as this tournament is over we can try and regain some sort of normality in our lives" Ash said. He pulled the curtain back, much to the disappointment of the media and looked me square in the eye. "I love you. I'm happiest when I'm with you. That League is a hassle, and sure, I've wanted the title for so long, but it's only a temporary prize. I want you for the rest of my life."  
  
"Then I declare you utterly and hopelessly insane" I whispered as a tear spilled over.  
  
"You can do that if you want, but I'm declaring myself utterly and hopelessly in love" Ash replied, kissing me again before a knock on the door interrupted us. Delia had become a bit more conscious since the last little incident when she walked in my room.  
  
"Misty, you've got a visitor" she announced.  
  
"It's not another reporter, is it?" I asked warily.   
  
"Do you think I would let reporters into my house? Although…" Delia turned her head behind her suspiciously for a second and spoke to us in a whisper when she turned back. "He's claiming to be a relative. Tread carefully hun, those people are vultures."  
  
"I know. Thanks Delia" I smiled.  
  
"Uh, Mom, do you think you could stay here a minute? I've got something to tell you" Ash said nervously. I gave him a quick reassuring squeeze of his hand and almost flew down the stairs at a speed that brought my crutches to even more shame. Walking into the lounge, I froze in my tracks as I instantly recognized who was visiting me.  
  
"Misty, gosh, it's been a while since I've seen you. Well, unless you count the dozens of tabloids that are splashing your face everywhere" Mark greeted me. He had that same oily smile I knew my cousin to have so well and, I noticed in puzzlement, he was wearing designer jeans. How the hell had he been able to afford those? His family wasn't particularly well-off.  
  
"Um, hi Mark. Do you want a drink or something?" I politely offered.  
  
"No thanks Mist" Mark replied, aloofness his ultimate exterior, as I sat opposite him on the other couch.   
  
"So what are you doing here in Pallet?" I asked. I knew full well that he lived in Saffron City and that he had no connections with Pallet Town at all. Unless you counted me, but I was somehow doubting that my sixteen year old cousin who had sprung Ash and I on Mom had driven all the way from Saffron for a chit-chat session.  
  
"I just thought I'd drop by and thank you" Mark said.  
  
"You want to thank me?"  
  
"I sure do. You and your little beau have made me the richest kid at Saffron Central High, so my humblest gratitude goes towards the both of you" Mark grinned. The words froze my blood with an anger and hurt I had never felt before. Not even my mother's insults could level with this, and I stared at him with my head spinning.  
  
"It was you…" I whispered in disbelief, though I don't know why I was so shocked. He was notorious for spreading rumours and leaking news. I guess I never really thought he would sink so low as to tell the media. "But…Mark, why?"  
  
"Oh I don't know, money, glory, the look on your face right now…" Mark replied casually. How many times would my heart break before it stopped functioning altogether? My cousin, my own blood relative, was out to ruin my life for his own personal gain. He smiled deviously and lit a cigarette, blowing a huge puff of the toxic smoke in my face.  
  
"Put that out" I feebly commanded.  
  
"Why? Is it bad for the bastard baby?" Mark asked sarcastically. It's bad for the bastard who's smoking it, I thought darkly, but kept silent as I watched him draw in another drag. "It was a bad idea telling your mom. You know what she's like, and how close she is to me. You would've been safer just running away without telling anyone. And now look at the mess you're in."  
  
"Mark…" I gulped back my tears and tried to put on a brave face. "Do you have any idea the amount of trouble you've caused for us?"  
  
"Nope. Why, is there more trauma?" Mark asked excitedly. "C'mon Mist, you can let me in on it. Nothing could get worse than what's going on out there." I felt like I was going to throw up at his words.  
  
"I am never, from this day onwards, going to be able to speak to you again. You've betrayed me twice, first at Washbay and now with this, and I don't give a rat's ass if you're even slightly related to me. It doesn't necessarily mean it's compulsory for me to face you again, do you know why?" I asked, my voice rising by the second.  
  
"Oooh, she's never gonna speak to me again. That's easy Misty, you don't wanna speak to me again cos I spilt your guts a week before the Pokémon League, boohoo" Mark said mockingly.  
  
"No." I shook my head, calmly stood up, walked over to where he was sitting and slapped him with all the fury and hurt that had developed because of him. "Because you're a fucking lousy human being and I don't enjoy being near scum. In fact, I find it a hazard to my health. And since that's what you are, you can piss off and leave us all the hell alone" I spat out. Mark, who was still reeling from the shock of me having the guts to slap him, stood up and faced me with cold eyes.  
  
"I hope you have that much courage in the next few months. With a mother like yours, you're gonna need it."  
  
"What are you talking about? She's in another town and I never talk to her" I pointed out.  
  
"She's got worse tricks up her sleeve than I do. Toodles, cousin dearest."  
  
His departing words sent shivers to the core of my soul and I drew in an unstable breath to somehow calm myself down. He was just being stupid, trying to scare me like that. He couldn't do anything more and neither could Mom. So what was I panicking about? Nothing.   
  
I slowly walked back to my room to find Delia and Ash locked in a hug with Delia whispering words to her son that I only just managed to pick up.  
  
"I'm so proud of you. You've grown up so much."  
  
I smiled when Delia noticed me and furiously wiped at her eyes to destroy the tears they were drowning in. "Aren't you two the luckiest, seeing me blubber like this" she laughed. A rare glimpse into your true emotions, I thought. It was quite refreshing to see her being true to herself, as I had learned to do in such difficult situations.   
  
"Well you've seen us do it enough" I sighed.  
  
"Who was the visitor? Wasn't a very long visit" Ash noted. I groaned and flopped down on my bed, desperately wishing the last ten minutes hadn't transpired.  
  
"Does the name Mark sound in any way familiar to you?" I asked.  
  
"Um…sorta, yeah. You're gonna have to jog my memory" Ash said.  
  
"Well, he was Mom's tipster. And now he's done the same with the press. He just thought he'd come over and gloat about all the money he's made off us."  
  
"You're kidding" Ash asked in astonishment.  
  
"God I wish I was."  
  
"That's terrible!" Delia exclaimed. "Misty, I'm so sorry, I won't let anyone else into the house until this all blows over. He actually gloated about what he'd done?"  
  
"Yup. Don't stop people from coming over, that's just a little bit drastic. Things will blow over soon enough, especially after this press conference, and then we can all just get on with it" I said.  
  
"I hope so" Ash said quietly. "Cos this has gone on long enough. Don't you just wish you could run outside for the hell of it?"  
  
"Even though it's about two degrees and there's snow everywhere?" I laughed. Ash shrugged and smiled at the same time.  
  
"Well after that horrible incident and Ash's remarkable bravery I think we should all have a hearty lunch" Delia proclaimed. Bravery? Okay, so she made him sound like a soldier in a huge war, but I guess in a way she was right. For three years he had battled against the rules of the plateau, and now he was bringing them down by walking out on them. They wouldn't be happy.  
  
"Lunch sounds tremendous" Ash said.  
  
"Tremendous? Big words for small brains" I teased as I walked behind him towards the kitchen.  
  
"Gee Mist, you crack me up every time" Ash said sarcastically, but he couldn't hide the grin on his face. I had to wonder if the smiles and the brave face were a shield from the pain he was no doubt feeling. In a month he would no longer have the title he had strived to hold for so long. It would have shattered my soul, but so far he seemed to be bearing alright. Maybe that was because his decision was only a few minutes old. His time at the League would probably bring on the tears and the pros and cons.   
  
But for now we had to prepare for this press conference. There would be so much media there, so many questions and so many flashbulbs going off, I went dizzy at the thought of it. All we had to do was answer questions as honestly as we could, clear the air, and announce Ash's departure from the Pokémon world.   
  
Sound like cake? It did to me too. But then again, I didn't have a clue what I was in for.  
  
*******  
What does one wear to one's first press conference? This was the question that was plaguing my mind an hour before the conference was due to start. Already the writing media were queuing up outside (what else was new) and the television cameras were being set up. Ash had instructed me not to go downstairs until he came to see me and, after a polite request from the both of us, Delia had made herself discreet by staying in the kitchen. We wanted her there, God we would've loved her support, but we also didn't want her dragged into this any further. She had been the one taking the phone calls and answering the door, she had done more than enough.  
  
I eventually settled on a not-so-bad-looking maternity dress, one that wasn't overly huge and that I would probably freeze to death in but probably the best out of the bunch. My ankles were slightly swollen, which was definitely not what I needed on that particular day, and I felt overwhelmed with the pressure of what was about to happen.   
  
Questions ran through my mind as I sat on my bed, trying to pass some time. What would they ask us? Would they be rude? Would they try and get to the very depths of our personal lives? And how the hell would they react to Ash giving up his title?  
  
A knock sounded on my door and I shouted that it was open about a second before Ash poked his head in.  
  
"Hey. You ready?"   
  
"Not in the slightest" I mumbled. "But I guess this is about as ready as I'll get, so let's just get this over with." I stood up and walked over to him with an apprehensive sort of smile on my face.  
  
"It'll be okay. They should leave us alone after this, there's nothing else they can find out" Ash reassured me, grasping my hand with the same comfort his words had in them. I nodded and walked beside him down the stairs to be welcomed by shouts and general mayhem as cameras flashed their bulbs and tape recorders starting whirling.  
  
Bloody hell. What had we gotten ourselves into?  
  
We sat ourselves down behind a table - who the hell had supplied that anyways? - and Ash was the first to speak once the initial commotion had died down.  
  
"I'd like to thank you all for coming here today. This conference has been called to clear the air and dissolve any rumours that might be running round, so please direct any questions you may have to either myself or Misty."  
  
"Steve Davidson, Global Gossip Weekly" one guy proclaimed as he stood up, tape recorder in tow. "When is the baby due and what do you plan to once it's born?"  
  
"Um…what date was it again?" Ash muttered. I nearly burst out laughing at the lapse of his memory and fielded the question myself.  
  
"April 22nd. The baby will be adopted out and we haven't really discussed anything beyond that point. Our focus right now is to make sure it goes to a loving home where we know it'll be looked after."  
  
The questions were pretty standard, asking Ash if he considered himself a good role model after having unprotected sex, asking me if I'd volunteered to leave home and similar background stuff. It was one question later on, after we'd cleared up that we weren't getting married nor were we planning to fake our deaths in order to leave the public eye (I don't know where that came from) that really tripped me up. One question that I hadn't expected at all.   
  
"Misty, how are you responding to your sisters' claims that you're ruining their careers?"  
  
"What?" I choked on the word, not quite sure if I'd heard the reporter properly. "What are my sisters' claims?"  
  
"I quote one Daisy Waterflower in our tabloid last week: 'I can't believe Misty has let this slip. Our audience numbers have gone down, people are giving us strange looks in the street, journalists keep asking us questions as if we were the ones committing the crime. She needs to learn to be more responsible. She has no one to blame for in this disaster but herself and Ash, and it's almost as if people think that because we're related we'll get up to the same things. But we can't be that irresponsible with a career like ours in the picture. I guess we can only be grateful she left home, things would be undoubtedly worse if she'd stayed at the gym.'"  
  
I stared at the reporter with a blank face. I never even knew my sisters had talked to anyone about this, or that they felt the way they did. Maybe, I thought with a slight glimmer of hope, it was a misquote.  
  
"Are you sure Daisy said that?" I asked in a whisper.  
  
"I interviewed her myself, Miss Waterflower. She's worried that people will think they support you in this and that they'll look down on them as a result."  
  
My throat went dry and Ash glanced at me worriedly. I felt like screaming out something along the lines of "THAT'S BULLSHIT!" but kept those words to myself. How could Daisy say such things when she and the other two had seen me off themselves, had consistently cautioned me to be careful and were so excited when I confessed that I did in fact love Ash? And how would this ruin their careers? Those three and myself were two completely separate things.  
  
"Um, well…I-I…"  
  
"I don't think Misty should be answering such questions" Ash interrupted. I gently placed a hand on his arm and smiled weakly at him.  
  
"Ash, it's okay, I'll answer it" I whispered. He looked unsure but nodded anyway, and I turned back to the reporters, careful to consider my words before I answered. "I never knew my sisters were making such claims. I guess the only way I can respond to that is to ask the public not to look down on them because of me. Their careers should not be ruined by something like this that's happening to me, not to them. If their careers are gonna be ruined at all, it should be because of their lack of talent, which they don't currently have. They are brilliant performers. My life and their lives are separate, and should not affect each other in manners such as these."  
  
"Nice one" Ash muttered approvingly as the media started jotting down notes. "You handled that well."  
  
"No I didn't" I mumbled. I wasn't handling it well at all. My sisters had always been so supportive, they had encouraged me to go out with Ash because they could see, plain as day, that I was in love with him and that he loved me too. And now here they were, accusing me of being irresponsible (which they could also claim to be too, after their various antics at Washbay) and the reason for their declining audience numbers.  
  
It was at that moment that Ash chose to announce he was leaving the Pokémon League after the upcoming tournament and that if no one defeated him, then the runner-up would take his title. It was a sad statement to make, and the media went nuts, firing more questions at the unexpected announcement. Overall, the conference went okay, and we knew that everything that needed to be cleared up had been. They could stop hassling us now.  
  
When the reporters had left and Delia had hugged the both of us for being so brave, I was sitting at the kitchen table, staring at my hands with tears once again invading my eyes at the thought of my sister's words. I never knew Daisy could be so hypocritical. I wondered if the other two felt the same, and came to the conclusion that there was only one way to find out.  
  
I slowly walked down the hall, nearing the phone and nearing the answers I needed so badly. Mom probably wouldn't be home, it was errands day, and my sisters would be taking advantage of her not being home by not practicing. I dialed the familiar numbers and kept it off the video phone, in case Mom picked up. To my mixed relief and sadness, Daisy answered chirpily, as though she hadn't just deceived the sister she had told she was gonna 'miss so much.'   
  
I guess we can just be grateful she left home…  
  
The words rang in my ears and for a moment I forgot to reply back to her greeting.  
  
"Hello? Like, is anyone there?"  
  
"S-sorry" I stuttered. "Daisy…it's me, Misty." There was a long pause and Daisy's tone instantly went frigid.  
  
"How are you?" This was not her at all. This was not the sister I had left behind, and I choked back the tears as I asked her the doomed question.  
  
"Why did you say what you did?" I asked meekly.   
  
"Because it was all the truth, little sis. You've caused us to get the worse reps, the whole gym is now threatened thanks to you" Daisy announced, her tone still glacial.  
  
"But…but when I left, you said you'd miss me, and at Washbay you wanted me to go out with Ash so bad, you helped us, Daisy!" I shouted on the verge of tears. "We owe you so much after everything you did for us!"  
  
"You're damn right you owe us. You owe us our careers, our reputations, you owe us our lives back, and until you can pull that off don't expect any of us to be talking to you." With that the phone went dead, and I stood there, hopelessly clutching onto the receiver like a lifeline.  
  
I couldn't believe she had turned her back on me so quickly. After the heartfelt letter she and the others had written with my present, after all the emails which, I suddenly realised, had stopped about two weeks ago…how could she? I wasn't set out to ruin their careers, I hadn't wanted this to leak.  
  
I slammed the receiver down and stormed up to my room. So three people in the whole world were on my side - Dad, Delia and Ash. I thought my sisters would always be there, and this had made me realise that people can change their tunes so easily. What if Ash did the same? What if he came back from the League and got all depressed because he'd never go back and blame it on me? Well, he'd probably have a right to, after I'd pressured him to choose between me and the League.  
  
"Hey Mist, are you -" Ash stopped himself in mid-sentence as he noticed me sitting on my bed cutting up photos into tiny bits of unrecognizable material. "Misty, what are you doing?" he asked in shock.  
  
"Cutting up every image I have of my sisters. They hate me" I replied calmly. Snip. There goes another one. Ash strode over to my bed and snatched the scissors off me, much to my horror and dismay. "What the hell are you doing?!" I exclaimed.  
  
"They don't hate you, okay? They don't. They're just upset" Ash said.  
  
"They're not upset. They never wanna talk to me again, I'm ruining their lives and the gym. So why should I have any reminder of the people who backstabbed me worse than I could ever imagine?"  
  
"You called them?" Ash asked. I nodded and met his eyes in worry.  
  
"I bet you're next" I said softly.  
  
"I'm next? I don't know what you're talking about" Ash replied.  
  
"You'll come back from the League, you'll remember how much you love it up there, how much you love the battling and the challenges and all that, and you'll come back announcing you've kept the title and I have to leave. And don't start promising me that you won't" I said when he opened his mouth to speak. "Because you can't promise me anything at the moment. My sisters promised me they'd be there for me and look at them now."  
  
"Uh-huh, okay" Ash said calmly. I was surprised he wasn't defending himself. "You're right, that could very well happen. Then again, I could come home and I could be incredibly depressed at the idea of never going back to Indigo, but then I could see your face and remember how much I love you and how much we need each other. I dunno, that's just a possibility."  
  
There was a silence after he'd spoken and I looked at the cut up photos. I knew I wasn't being too drastic. My sisters' turnaround had made me more wary of people and what they were capable of. Nonetheless, neither of us spoke until Ash turned to leave.  
  
"I love you. If you love me, you have to trust me." Those were his last words before he closed the door behind him and left me in a state of confusion, surrounded by cut up photos and a knife being twisted in my heart.  
  
A/N Alright guys more on way soon, but for now, thanks for all your kinda words and reviews are alwasy welcome!. 


	22. Shattered

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon.

A/N: I'm back, I'm tanned and I'm posting! Yahoo! Sorry bout delays, crashed computers and all see to delays. Anyways, we're getting closer to the end so yay, let's keep going!

****

Chapter Twenty One - Shattered.

Ash left for his last League tournament five days after the press conference with a brave face and a breaking heart. I trusted him. I knew he would be back to greet me with open arms, no matter how heavy things got up there. I had, at long last, read that letter he had included with my Christmas present, and it had totally assured me of his love and devotion to me - not that I should need any confirmation by now, but still. I kept it in the back of my drawer in my room and if I ever missed him, I only had to read it and feel that he was somehow closer to me.

__

Misty - my love, my one and only, my other half,

I'm sitting in my room at Indigo Plateau, hundreds of miles away from the one thing I hold dearest and going crazy at the thought of that thing being so far away. So I'm compensating by writing you this letter with the Chrissie present I bought you today. The sapphires match your eyes, and the hearts match my feelings for you. 

All I'm really doing with this letter is writing things I've said a million times before but that I just can't say enough without feeling justified. Maybe ink confirms it more than words, I don't know. What I do know is that I love you, that you have changed my life forever and for the better, and that if ever I feel like I'm doubting myself, I think of you and am somehow reassured. 

I know all this crap has been raining down on the both of us and I know it's put an incredible strain on our every day lives. I will just never be so grateful to get you away from your mother. If I'd had any idea she was that terrible, I would've had you out of there months earlier!

All I can say in a situation like this is three things - I love you, thank you for everything, and I'm sorry. The apology is for a million different things. Dumping you for this stupid place when I was madly in love with you, gluing us both in what could have been a preventable situation, being called back up here when I should be back in Pallet with you and Mom…so I am incredibly sorry. Then again, I guess all of that has got us stuck together, so I can be both grateful and apologetic.

I hope with all my heart that this Christmas is a break for the both of us. Strain is something neither of us need but have had so much of, and it's not good for anyone concerned. Christmas couldn't be a better time for the both of us to just relax and take our minds off everything for a moment.

So Misty, the one person who makes my life worthwhile, I love you forever. Merry Christmas.

Yours always,

Ash.

If I had shown this to the average teenager, they immediately would have called it sappy, over the top. But it made me smile in a way I hadn't done in a long time. He loved me. I always cringed at the bit where he went on about relaxing at Christmas. What a joke. Christmas was where it had all started.

When Ash left for the League, he repeatedly told me he was fine, which I also considered a joke. He had announced his choice to give up the title with tears running down his face and now he was saying he was fine? I only had one thing to say to that.

"Bullshit you're fine."

"Look, nobody said this was gonna be easy" Ash started as he zipped up his suitcase. "And it's not easy. But honestly, I swear to you Mist, I am okay. I'm more worried about how much I'm gonna miss you. I might lose my concentration or something" he grinned.

"Please don't. I don't wanna get blamed for another downfall" I groaned, although I knew I would be blamed for Ash dropping his title. All I could do was be grateful that the press had, at long last, left us alone and that it was now safe for us to walk outside. Well, sort of safe. The looks we received weren't welcoming but we couldn't do anything about them.

So he left on January the 14th, I hit the six month mark while he was gone and went for another check-up and ultrasound, this time on my own. The little guy was fine, kicking at every opportunity it got and growing steadily with no apparent problems. Once again I was allowed to keep the images and once again I shoved them under my bed without a second glance.

I was also forced to do something else by myself - interview the last candidates of prospective foster parents. Ash and I had hurriedly interviewed the last couple who, at that point, were the best out of all of them. Still, he had left concerned about me undergoing the process, especially since I tended to get a little feisty with the candidates. I had promised him I'd behave because I couldn't promise myself the same thing. 

Well, that was what I thought, until the actual interview took place. I despairingly sat down in that same chair, the one next to me noticeably empty, and Sarah facing me with that nervous smile she always liked to use on me. It was as if she was saying, 'Please Misty, I'm doing the best I can. Give them a chance.'

"Sarah, hi, sorry we're late." 

I swiveled my head round, as I always did when a new couple entered the room, and the first thing I noticed was that no nerves shot through me, no intuitive worries invaded my mind…I had to take it as a hopeful sign. My most polite smile was flashed at the relaxed couple, who I soon learned to know as Mitch and Rebecca Spence, and the interview was underway.

They were from Cerulean themselves, which instantly put them on a kinship with me, and both seemed like very pleasant and polite people who wanted a child to call their own. They had no qualms about how young we were or Ash's soon-to-be-non-existent status in the League. They didn't want children to look good or accompany their existing offspring - they just wanted a family.

Perfect situation, considering that wasn't what we wanted.

He was an executive at a software company (and I won't lie to you, the first thought that sprung to my mind was the whole money thing - it would be impossible for him not to be loaded with a title like that) and she owned a little bakery that was doing remarkably well in Cerulean. I'd heard of it before but never known who the owner was. 

Rebecca had also been through a cancer scare two years ago, resulting in her being unable to have children. Her uterus had been removed to ensure the cancer wouldn't spread, and it hadn't thanks to the operation. But it had meant the end of any childbearing days she may have had.

"So Mrs. Spence, doesn't a bakery take up a lot of your time? If you had a child on your hands you wouldn't be able to look after both" I pointed out.

"I know. That's why I'm willing to hand over the franchise and ownership to my co-owner" Rebecca replied.

"Really?" I asked in admiration. "You'd give up your entire business for the illegitimate child of two stupid teenagers?"

Rebecca slightly laughed. "Two stupid teenagers…gosh Misty, you undervalue both yourself and your boyfriend. You're both incredibly talented people in different ways."

"Yeah, we ruined our lives in the name of love" I groaned.

"Come on, I've seen the work the both of you. You were a very talented swimmer in your day" Rebecca praised. _In your day._ She made me sound like a veteran, but I couldn't help blushing at her kind and rarely said words.

"Maybe I was. But this has happened and I…" I trailed off as I found myself unsure of how to finish. Why weren't thoughts coming to my mouth as easily as they used to? "Last question guys and then I swear I'll let you go. If we let you keep this baby and it grew up, only to find itself curious about its origins, would you tell it the truth?"

"As in, that it's adopted?" Rebecca asked.

"That and the fact that it's illegitimate through two sixteen-year olds" I added.

"Of course" Mitch answered. "It's not fair to tell a child that your its birth parents, its blood and origin, when really you're not. But we would probably wait until it was a bit older, at a time when it was able to understand properly."

I drew in a shaky breath at his words and avoided their gaze. They had to be the ones. My instinct and my common sense were telling me that, practically screaming at me that these were the foster parents of my unborn child, and now I had to break it to them. It wouldn't be hard news for them to take, but for me…it was like confirming that I was giving away a part of myself, a part of Ash too. Giving it away to my hometown no less. The place I had escaped when I'd heard about this baby.

Irony. It bites you in the ass sometimes, doesn't it?

"Ash and myself have interviewed four other couples before you and I guess the thing of being lucky last would apply here." I noticed their faces simultaneously light up at my words. "You two seem like the loving, capable parents our baby needs." _The parents we can't be, _I silently added. "So at this point in time I am placing you at the top of our…uh, I guess we have a foster parents list. But I would really feel better if I talked to Ash about it first. I know he'll love you guys, but this is a mutual agreement thing we've got going here."

"Understandably" Rebecca nodded, though she couldn't help the excited smile coming through on her face. I had to be happy for them. It was, in the slightest of ways, pulling at my heartstrings to confirm I was letting go - so much for not getting attached - however, I was happy knowing that I was fulfilling another couple's dream. 

"In that case, you're free to leave" a beaming Sarah announced. I shook hands with them again and eyed Sarah with absolutely no expression on my face after they had left.

"You heard me. They're the ones. I have to call Ash, I'll be in touch." I quickly got up and left the room, careful to make sure she couldn't see the tears in my eyes.

*******

"Three weeks into the Indigo League Tournament there have been some major upsets and surprising results. The semi-finals and finals will take place this week, with the unexpected departure of Ashton Ketchum leaving the runner-up or competitor who beats him to take his place as a Pokémon Master. Though we doubt we will see as much greatness as we saw in Ketchum, who has been through three tournaments undefeated and first won the title at the mere age of thirteen…"

"What the hell are you trying to do, rub salt into my wounds?!" I screamed at the TV as I hurled a tea towel at the cursed set. Oh God, Delia's china vase, please don't fall, please don't…

Phew. I was lucky on that count. I wearily walked over to the discarded drying material and turned off the television. Of course, I was interested in how Ash was doing and I had watched a few of his warm-up battles, but I couldn't bear the commentator who, I swore to heaven above, had it in for me with his constant mentions of Ash's send-off. 

One more week and he would be home. Would you be surprised if I told you I was counting down the days? Didn't think so. I'd only talked to him twice and they were both very brief conversations. I never found the chance to tell him about Mitch and Rebecca Spence, so instead just told Sarah that Ash would sign his last papers when he got back and I signed mine then and there. I knew he'd love them. The other four had been complete screw-ups, how could I go wrong?

Well, me being me, I went horribly wrong. What more would you expect from my twisted little self? I signed the papers, would've skipped home if it hadn't been for my increasing weight so instead power walked, had a snack and left a message on Ash's answer phone to call me back if he got a chance. Note the word 'if.' He was so busy up there I wasn't pinning my hopes on him returning the call anytime soon.

It was February and the temperature was oh so slightly moving upwards. I got away with a dress or even stretchy trousers from time to time, considering the dungarees were both too much for me to bear and too tight. Ash would be home just after Valentine's Day, which was a little sad but it couldn't be prevented. I was just glad he'd be home in the first place.

I cooked dinner the night after I left the message on Ash's phone because poor Delia had caught some kind of bug and was looking absolutely deathly. Her face was so pale it was almost green, her hair as lank as her disposition had become and she always seemed to be shivering. However, this is Delia Ketchum we're talking about, and of course she assured me that she was fine, even though he teeth were clanking louder than picks and shovels against railway tracks.

So we just had pumpkin soup, which was fine with the both of us. Delia wasn't particularly hungry and my cooking skills were limited. She looked a little better as I served it up and I gave her a sympathetic smile when she started coughing.

"Maybe you should take some sleeping pills tonight" I suggested.

"Oh don't be silly" Delia sighed. "Those things only make me feel worse in the morning. I'll just go to bed early tonight. This soup is delicious" she smiled weakly. God she looked awful. I was seriously considering taking her to a doctor. Bloody hell, if only I had my damn license, I could've driven her there myself. Instead, I would probably have to bundle her up in a taxi. Poor thing. 

She managed to consume over half of her soup which surprised me and made me feel slightly shy - surely it wasn't that good? Her bedtime that night was 7.30 but I was so restless I stayed up to watch a poor quality movie on T.V. What else do you expect on a Saturday night? They only play stuff for sad sods like myself who can't go out.

The phone rang halfway through the movie at about 9.30 and I frowned as I walked over to it. No one ever called this late. Maybe, I thought while jumping to conclusions, something terrible had happened to Ash or my father or something. The panic came through in my voice when I answered.

"H-hello?" was my timid beginning. 

"Hey sugar." Ash's voice ran through my ears and I instantly let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh thank God you're alright" I sighed. 

"Huh? Why wouldn't I be?" Ash asked in confusion.

"Never mind. I've got some good news" I announced.

"Man, I could do with some good news right now." Ash paused to flick on his video phone and I grinned as his face flashed up on the screen. I had missed him more than I'd realised, although he was looking a little…I don't know, drained. It must've been hard for him to be up there so close to the end of the tournament. "So let's hear it then."

"Well, I went for that last interview and I think…no, I _know _I've found the perfect people." Ash gave a slight laugh at my words.

"How do you _know _that they're perfect?"

"Because, oh man, they just wanted a family so much. They don't want this child for their own personal gain, it's like they understand our situation and want to help us. I know they're perfect anyways, I'm so sure of it that I signed the papers" I beamed proudly.

Now, this is kinda where it went downhill. I was only beaming proudly for about two seconds before I realised Ash's face was even paler than before. His stare was still on me but I don't think he could really register what was in front of him. There was a long silence until I decided I'd had enough and spoke up with a confused frown.

"Ash? Is everything okay?"

"Of course everything isn't bloody okay!" Ash's words were an explosion of anger and sent me reeling in shock. I actually tightened my grip on the receiver a little tighter and stared at him in total bewilderment, unable to speak or move. I didn't need to, he beat me to it. "What the hell do you think you were doing, signing those papers before I'd even _seen _those people?! What makes you think your judgment is the know all end all?"

I was stunned beyond belief. This was not what I had expected at all. I thought he'd be happy at the prospect of me finding relatively normal people to take care of our baby, I thought he'd be proud of me for sticking it out alone. Yet here he was, ranting and raving at me in a way I'd never seen him do before. The words got caught in my throat and I finally managed to spit them out.

"Ash, I…they're wonderful people, I swear you'll love them. All you have to do is sign your papers and -"

"What the fuck makes you think I'll sign papers without seeing the people?!" Ash yelled. "Were you out of your mind? Were you stoned or something? I can't believe you would go ahead and agree to something this important, something that I am a part of, without even consulting me."

He had crossed a line he had never been near before very quickly and the anger rose within me at a frightening rate. I didn't need him swearing at me, or accusing me of being stoned, no matter how much of a figure of speech it was. He was starting to sound like my mother. 

"There's no reason why you can't meet them when you get back" I calmly pointed out. If I retaliated now, I would only make things worse. I needed to calm the both of us down and I needed to suppress that rising anger before it got out of hand.

"Yeah Einstein, and what if I meet them and hate them? 'Too bad Ash, I've already signed the papers. Off you go, just scrawl away on the dotted line, you've got no say in this.' I'm absolutely astounded by your genius, Mist " Ash replied sarcastically. 

"Come on Ash, please be reasonable about this. I wouldn't have signed the papers if I'd have thought you would hate them" I pointed out. Somewhere in the back of my mind I realised my eyes were narrowed at him but made no attempt to stop this action.

"You want me to be reasonable about this? I _am _being reasonable, Misty! How else would you expect me to react? We _both _got ourselves in this mess and we're _both _supposed to have an equal say when it comes to getting out of it. And then you go and sign a document to hand over our child to people I've never crossed paths with in my life! Shit, I hope you realise that's the dumbest thing you've ever done."

"Not as dumb as getting knocked up by you" I mumbled. Oh God. Now I was crossing lines. He gave me a cold glare and shook his head slowly when he next spoke.

"You signed the papers yourself. You can get out of this yourself."

Oh. My. God. Was this happening? Was he…_dumping _me? No, no. The thought winded me and I tried to find some air as I struggled with the situation in front of me.

"I love you" I blurted out. "Ash I love you so much, I'm sorry I signed the papers, I'm sorry I said what I did, I'm so -"

"No Misty. No. You're obviously very confident about these people so you won't mind giving them the kid on your own. You've got it sussed, you don't need me there holding your hand" Ash said flatly.

"I do need you!" I exclaimed. "I need you more than I need air, _please _Ash, we've come this far, we can go further. I promise you on my life you'll love these people."

"You can promise till the ends of the earth, it was all I could do for you, but it doesn't change anything. You signed those papers on your own when we both agreed that this was a mutual decision and now there's no going back. I hope you're proud of yourself."

"You sound like my goddamn mother!" I shouted in frustration and desperation. 

"Then you won't mind never having to face me again" Ash said coolly. That was when I lost it. I couldn't be angry at him when I knew this was my fault and I burst into the loudest tears I've ever let loose in my life. Being kicked out, falling pregnant at fifteen and being backstabbed numerously by my family didn't compare with this. I was losing the only person who ever truly understood me, who ever truly loved me and made me feel valued and whom I ever truly loved. 

"Ash, please…" I choked out. "I can understand why you're angry and I'm so sorry. I love you Ashton Ketchum, I love you so much it eats at my soul whenever you're not within viewing distance or I can't talk to you. Please don't end this over a stupid mistake I made without thinking…" I trailed off as more tears overtook me. Through my blurred eyes, I could see his face was a mixture of chilling emotions that only caused me to cry even more. He wasn't flinching in the slightest.

"You have to learn from your mistakes" Ash announced.

"I thought you loved me" I whispered, the pain I was feeling coming through in my words. I could've sworn I saw Ash biting his lip, almost as a regretful notion, but I had a feeling it was a fragment of my imagination. 

"I did. And I think I still do. But I can't be with someone I can't trust" Ash replied quietly. 

"It was a one-off! I _swear _nothing like this will ever happen again!" 

"You've got that right. Won't happen if I'm not around" Ash pointed out monotonously. "Look, I've gotta go."

"Why? What's making you go, huh? Is something sooo important up there at 9.30 at night?" I cried out sarcastically. He didn't respond, something I didn't know whether to take as a good or bad sign, and I drew in a calming breath. "Or can you just not face me because you love me?" I whispered in hope. 

"Forget it, Mist. Love equals trust. You've just completely abolished both of those in one blow. Now I really have to go." And with that his face disappeared from the screen and I sat there clutching the phone to my ear, constantly receiving the tone that reminded me that he was gone.

He was gone. Gone, gone…the word repeated in my mind like some sort of cruel dripping water torture. I had never seen him so angry before. My stupid assumptions had made me believe he wouldn't mind, but he was right. We were both supposed to have a say in this, and at first I had told Sarah that very same thing. I had said I would wait until Ash came home. So what the hell made me sign those papers before he did? 

I slowly put the receiver back on the hook and stared at the screen for…God, I don't know how long I sat there. Not another tear crawled out from my eyes, not one sob escaped my mouth. I was emotionally fighting for breath as his words repeated in my head. He sounded so much like my mother, he didn't sound like himself…he didn't sound like Ash Ketchum. He sounded like a complete stranger.

Why would he break up with me over one stupid thing like this? He could still interview Mitch and Rebecca and refuse to sign the papers, hence making us choose another couple - together. But he had crossed the line by swearing at me, by sounding like a replica of my mother, by over reacting to something like this. I understood that he was angry, but he didn't need to be _this _angry.

And yet I still loved him. He was a part of me, no matter what. 

I didn't hear Ash smashing the framed photo I had given him over Christmas, nor did I hear his sobs of regret and confusion as he sat in his room at Indigo that night. All I heard was the sound of my heart smashing and my own sobs of hurt accompanying it. 

A/N: Sorry about any spelling mistakes, I can't be bothered checking it over tonight. So uh, yeah, peace everyone and woohoo, I finally saw "The Fortune Hunters." What a brill episode! Thanks for the reviews too, okay I seriously am going now, I ramble too much. Bye!


	23. The Letter

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon or the song "Mirror Mirror" by M2M.

A/N: Yes everyone, it's back to a chapter every day or two days or whatever I feel like. And I was gonna upload two today but my mind was kinda going everywhere at once. It was…strange. Anyways, totally not relevant so I'll let you read now!

****

Chapter Twenty Two - The letter.

__

Mirror mirror hanging on the wall

You don't have to tell me who's the biggest fool of all

Mirror mirror I wish you could lie to me

And bring my baby back

Bring my baby back to me…

That chorus reverberated around my mind the minute I heard it. It couldn't have summed up my thoughts any better than I could. Four days after the fight with Ash, suicide seemed like a plausible solution to my problems. No baby, no pain, no stupid mistakes ever being made again…

But I couldn't do that. I owed this child a life after I had so defiantly sworn that I couldn't go through an abortion. At least everyone was minding their own business about this, especially the damn media. They hadn't been on the doorstep for weeks now and it was a blessing I'd be forever indebted about. And Delia was feeling better, so I shouldn't really have had that much to complain about. Apart from my now ex-boyfriend.

"Oh Ash. Talk to me, shout at me, whatever you wanna do, just please _please _forgive me. I love you so much, I'm sorry about every stupid thing I've ever done."

"Misty? Is everything okay, dear?" I raised my eyes from the photo of Ash I held in my hand to meet his mother's confused gaze. She had no idea what had happened. I don't know why I never brought myself forward to tell her, but I guess I was still trying to understand the whole situation for myself. 

"Everything's fine" I smiled weakly. "I just miss Ash."

"I know you do. It's a shame he has to stay up there another week" Delia sighed.

"What?!" I exclaimed in disbelief. "He's staying another week? But why?" I knew exactly why. This was his perfect escape from having to face me for now.

"He told me he's still got to tie up some loose ends when the competitions are over. I thought he would've told you." Delia knitted her brow in confusion and my mind raced to think of a realistic reason why Ash hadn't informed me of this.

"Um…maybe he did tell me, I might've been daydreaming." Yeah, go Misty, the master of deception. I could've done better, but no, panic totally dissolves my common sense.

"Well he did say something about you…"

"What did he say?!" I cried out in alarm. Delia's eyes went wide but she was happy to answer my forceful and somewhat unexpected question.

"He just wanted to know if you were alright. Sounded more concerned than usual but maybe that's just my mind's eye. Is something wrong that I don't know about?" Now Delia was sounding panicked and I knew I had to pacify her before she jumped to conclusions. 

"No, of course not, the baby is fine. Ash must be stressed, I mean, it is only two days until the complete end of his status as Pokémon Master. He'll be worrying about everything and everyone" I explained. I hated lying to her face, I truly hated it, but if I told her that we'd had a wrangle she would drill Ash or myself. Well I didn't have to worry about that for very long, because I forgot something important about Delia Ketchum - she's a smart woman.

"Maybe you're right. Still…" Delia trailed off and raised an eyebrow at me. Unable to suppress the nervous gulp that traveled down my throat, she came and sat next to me on my bed with a questioning but serious look on her face. "He never asked to talk to you. Stress or not, you know and I know that's not normal for Ash."

"Well maybe he's…" My voice died away with my lies and I looked at Delia with sorrowful eyes. "He never wants to speak to me again. In fact, I should probably move out quickly, that way he can get home sooner."

"Misty, what are you talking about? Why would he never want to speak to you again?" Delia asked in plain astonishment. 

"Ash hates me. He hates me because I signed the adoption papers without his permission and he has every right to feel the way he does. We had a bit of an argument on Saturday night and he said he can't trust me, therefore he can't keep being my boyfriend." I had to hold back my tears at the last sentence.

"What?!" Delia exclaimed in disbelief. "Is that son of mine absolutely mad?! Geez, I thought I brought him up better than that" she muttered. I raised an eyebrow at her and waited for her to go on as she wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Ash can't say things like that about you and mean them. He loves you. One little argument isn't going to get in the way of that."

"But it has" I sighed. "And it wasn't a little argument. It was huge. I said something I shouldn't have said and we exchanged a few nasty words."

"A few nasty words?" Delia laughed. "Oh Misty, I see you two together every day and I _know _that would be the last thing to come between you. He'll get over himself eventually, just give him some time."

"I wish I could believe you Delia, but he has a very valid reason for behaving like this towards me. I shouldn't have made any rash decisions without him, we both know it too" I said softly.

"You were just doing what you thought was best. I assure you, as his mother, the person who's known him his whole life, that he will forgive you and come back with the same love and affection he's always had for you." Delia kissed the top of my head and stood up. "Don't worry hun, everything will work out eventually. Just look after yourself, don't worry about Ash's little mood problems."

"Okay." I smiled as I watched her walk away, wondering if what she had said was true. Still, after the way Ash had talked to me I was seriously doubting any chance of him ever talking to me again. I placed the photo down on my bedside table and stared at the ceiling with my hands cradling my head. 

Going home seemed like my only option but it was an option that made tidal waves of nausea sweep over me. My mother and my sisters never wanted to face me again, Dad…well, Dad was nice but he was still living in the same house as the other four. Not that I'd want him to move out. The word 'divorce' sent panic tremors through me, even though I was no longer anywhere near home. The idea of our family being split in the core pained me terribly. It was okay for me to go, but for Mom and Dad to go their separate ways was something I couldn't imagine.

All day I moped around the house with the motivation of a turtle and ankles the size of boulders. They were killing me. I could hardly fit into any size shoe and if I was lucky enough to struggle into a pair it only resulted in massive blisters and even less motivation to do anything.

Ash called but again declined to talk to me. He told Delia he would be home in six days when he'd signed some more papers and talked to some more people. I had watched the closing ceremony of the tournament, fireworks and all, but all I could see were the tears in Ash's eyes. He had nearly cried. Nearly. Somehow he was still holding up a strong fort and the public fell for it, commenting on how brave he was and how dignified his leaving was despite the 'circumstances.' But I saw those tears, I almost felt them, and I knew Delia had seen them too, even though she never mentioned it as we watched in an enveloping silence.

My moping continued until the next day when I woke up with a lighter weight on my chest. This confused me. Nothing had changed overnight to make me feel any better, Ash was coming home in five days to be greeted by my awkwardness, or maybe not greeted by me at all. I was seriously contemplating going back to Cerulean that morning. Little did I know that something would waltz back into my life to change my mind about that.

I was cleaning up the lunch dishes when Delia announced that she was going to the market. I had no desire to go shopping with my engorged ankles and politely turned down her invitation to join her and Mimey. Dishes clean and housework, as always, completed, I flopped onto the couch with a magazine and prepared to enjoy the silence that now surrounded me. 

Ding dong.

Grr. I hated that doorbell. It always rang at the most inappropriate of times and today was no exception. The magazine was tossed aside and I slowly got up and made my way towards the door. Neither myself nor Delia were expecting company so I was cautious in opening the door. 

"Hello?" I answered before an uncontrollable shriek escaped my mouth as I realised who was in front of me. "Brock! What are you doing here?!" I screamed as I hugged him in overwhelming delight. I hadn't seen or heard from him in two years and now here he was, on my doorstep, hugging me back with a few laughs in between.

"I thought I'd drop by for a visit while I was in town" Brock replied as he pulled away. "That and the fact that your boyfriend called me."

"Oh" I muttered, staring at my oversized stomach since I couldn't see the ground below me. "I suppose he told you -"

"Everything" Brock supplied. "I knew he was leaving the League before the public, I think I was the first to find out after you. He also told me about the little, uh, tiff you guys just had."

"He did?" I asked, to which Brock nodded. "It was anything but little. God I'm impolite, come in" I offered as I held the door open. Brock walked through and observed his surroundings.

"Man, it's been ages since I've been in here" he marveled.

"I know. Do you want a drink or something?" I asked. Brock shook his head and I led him to the lounge, where he sat himself down on the couch I had been resting on before he had made his guest appearance. "So did Ash sound alright when you talked to him on the phone?"

"Quite frankly, he sounded like he'd been dragged through hell and back. He's pretty messed up at the moment. He's missing you like hell and -"

"What? Did I hear you right? Did you just say that Ash is _missing _me?" I asked in astonishment.

"You better believe it. He misses you, but he's still sorta angry about the whole thing" Brock admitted.

"He has every right to be. He can be angry about it for the rest of his life if he wants, I wouldn't blame him" I sighed.

"Misty, don't be so hard on yourself. He's angry but he's also very very remorseful about what he said. He loves you, I know he does, he told me himself. He wouldn't be giving up the title if he didn't love you" Brock pointed out.

"Yeah…but still, what am I gonna do when he gets home? What are we gonna say to each other?" I asked hopelessly. 

"How about sorry? Seems to work when you want to resolve an argument."

"He said he couldn't face me again" I said quietly. There was a silence as the painful words hung in the air and I bit my lip in protest to any oncoming tears. "I love him so much, I was such an idiot for doing what I did. I think the best thing I can do is go back to Cerulean, adopt the baby out and just forget this ever happened."

"What, and run away from the biggest thing you've ever had to deal with in your life? No Misty, you can't do that. I totally forbid it. So does Ash, by the way" Brock announced.

"He forbids me from leaving?" I asked. Brock nodded and I sighed in exasperation. "You don't understand, he _hates _me, he said he never wanted to see me again so why would he suddenly turn around now?"

"Because like I said, he loves you. He realised what a mistake he made and wants to come back, but he's scared of how you're gonna react. Hence my reason for being here" Brock explained.

"So he sent you here" I realised. "Like a messenger of death or something. The grim reaper."

"Why don't you think of it more like the angel Gabriel? I'm trying to send you a miracle, or a compromise at the very least" Brock grinned.

I stared at him with too many thoughts running round my mind to make much sense. If Ash was sorry, he could apologise, it's no big deal. But he had sent Brock…geez, he must have been really scared. I drummed my fingers on the arm rest and exhaled deeply, thinking everything through.

"I suppose he wants you to send a message or something back" I said flatly.

"Something like that, yeah. He just wants to know if it's safe to come home. He doesn't want to lose you, Misty" Brock said, his tone suddenly serious. "That is the last thing he wants. I think what the two of you need to do is just sit down and talk this through. I don't blame him for wanting to have a say in this but this is a mutual fault. Much like the mutual situation you both got yourselves into."

"Yeah yeah, I know" I groaned. I squeezed my eyes shut in confusion and finally managed to blurt out an answer. "Okay, you can tell Ash that I'm alright and that I _desperately _want him home and for him to forgive me. And then you can call him a wimp for not even attempting to call me" I said in a teasing tone. 

"Well all I can say is that after witnessing your wrath for three years, I think he had reason to be scared. I know I would be" Brock smiled. 

"I'd never mean to hurt him."

"Yeah well I heard you were pretty vicious those first couple of weeks at Washbay. Didn't even give the poor guy a chance at first."

"Hey, he had -" I cut myself off as I saw the mailman cycling past the window, thus indicating that the mail had arrived. "Woohoo, mail's here!" I exclaimed.

"Why is that such a good thing?" Brock asked cautiously.

"Because I can only walk as far to the mailbox and back before my ankles start yelling at me and sometimes I even receive stuff. Come on, help me up will you?" I stretched out my arm and Brock grabbed a hold to pull me up. "Friggin' back" I muttered as my back became painfully strained at the load it was taking on. This always happened when I stood up. I was surprised my spinal cord hadn't cracked under the pressure. This baby wasn't even born and already it was huge and causing way too much stress.

Sure enough, I found three envelopes, two for Delia and one for Ash. No parcels, no letters, no postcards for me. Then again, who the hell would be writing to me?

"Nada for Misty" I sighed as we walked back inside. "Maybe I should open Ash's one."

"Misty, that is mail violation or privacy violation…or something…" Brock wrinkled his nose in confusion before shrugging his shoulders. "Whatever, either way you shouldn't open that. It's addressed to Ash for a reason."

"Hey, who the hell is Cohen and McMahon?" I asked as I scanned over the envelope. "They don't even sound like proper names."

"They sound more like surnames" Brock informed me. He stole an apple from the fruit basket and proceeded to chomp noisily on it beside me while reading the envelope over my shoulder. "Yup, they're surnames. Sounds like a doctor's practice, or a lawyer's, or even a real estate agent."

"Ash doesn't need any of those things" I mused. I paused, running my fingers over the mysterious envelope. What was Ash hiding in there? I'd never seen anything like this arrive for him, something so formal and business-like. It even looked more prestigious than the Pokémon League's envelopes.

"Maybe he went for some blood tests or something, checking up his iron. I'm sure it's not a life or death thing. He would've told you if it was." Brock took another bite out of his apple when a pause followed his words. I was seriously pondering on whether I should open the envelope out of my own sheer curiousness. Well, in truth I was also a little worried. Ash had never needed letters from doctors, lawyers or real estate agents before and he certainly hadn't mentioned being sick or moving house. What sixteen-year old gets letters from a real estate agent?

"Whoever sent this is from Cerulean" I suddenly realised with a churning stomach at the sight of the Cerulean stamp. "What the hell has Mom done now?"

"Come on, you know more people in Cerulean than your mother" Brock pointed out.

"Yeah but Ash doesn't and this is addressed to Ash."

"It's probably League stuff. Just leave it, he'll be upset if you open it and you really don't want that five days before he's due home. For now you should just concentrate on him coming home and you guys being happy again" Brock suggested.

"Yeah, I'm sooo happy with this" I complained as I pointed to my stomach. Brock laughed and again shrugged his shoulders.

"I'll bet he's a cute little thing."

"Don't even know if it is a he" I pointed out. 

"You're not finding out?" Brock asked.

I shook my head. "Nah. Element of surprise and all that. If anything good has gotta come outta this it has to be the surprise of it all at the end. Finding out would ruin the one thing I'm looking forward to."

"Are you allowed to choose the name?"

I stared at Brock for half a minute, contemplating his question with confusion. "You know, I never found that out. But if we are I'm ready for it, I know what my kids are gonna be called."

"God, you plan in advance" Brock groaned.

"I sure do. If I have a girl she'll be Stacy or Cassandra, and if I have a boy he'll be Adam or Zachary. But with this one, this mistake that we made, I'll have to seek Ash's approval before I sign any birth certificates or anything. That's a lesson I learnt the hard way" I said. I suddenly broke into a grin and let out an excited squeal much to Brock's surprise. "He's coming home and he loves me. I am the happiest girl in the world! I love him so much and I thought he hated me, ahhh, he's coming home because he loves me!"

"Okay Mist, take it easy" Brock laughed. 

"But getting back to this bitch of a thing here…" I trailed off as I held up the envelope again. "I'm actually kinda nervous about what's in there. I think I should open it."

"Misty! How would you feel if Ash went ahead and opened your mail without his permission?" Brock asked in horror.

"I trust him enough to look at my mail, there's nothing I don't tell him and he's said the same for me, so this shouldn't be anything too drastic." Not wanting to hear any more protests, I ripped open the envelope to reveal the Cohen and McMahon letterhead at the top of an otherwise plain piece of paper.

"So what is it? He's moving out, he's got low iron, the Pokémon League are suing him…" Brock rolled his eyes in exasperation but I could only see him out of the corner of my widening eyes. I never, not in a million years, would have imagined this happening after all the other shit that had rained down on us. There was no God, I suddenly decided, and turned to Brock with panic coursing throughout me.

"Read it" I feebly commanded. He took the letter off me with a raised eyebrow but I soon saw him going pale at the words that were echoing in my mind. 

"Call him. Call him now, and for God's sake try not to panic" Brock said calmly. I nodded, although inwardly I was panicking like a deranged nut, and picked up the phone's receiver. I didn't bother to switch it to the video phone as time was of the essence and impatiently waited four rings before he picked up.

"Mom? What are you doing calling?" Ash asked when his caller I.D flashed up his home number.

"No Ash, it's me."

"Mist? I'm sorry, that's all I wanna say to you, I'll go and interview these people and -"

"Ash, I don't give two shits about what happened between us the other day. I love you no matter what and especially now." My voice trembled as I fought a battle with myself not to break down.

"What are you talking about?" Ash asked.

"You have to come home. Now. Don't ask any questions and tell them up there that you've got no choice in the matter. This is going to be an encounter bigger than anything you've ever fought up there."

A/N: I don't actually have a lot to say…uh, I guess just look out for more. And thanks for the reviews! They are truly awesome. I swear we're getting closer to the end! I swear! Would I lie to you? Hehe. Thanks everyone, more soon!


	24. Staking the Defense

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon.

A/N: Oh God, I nearly forgot to upload this! Oops! That wouldn't have been good cos you guys were seriously jumping up and down about the old cliffy one chapter back - sorry bout that, hehe. Anyways, read on and find out: what's in the letter?! Dun dun duuunun! Haha.

****

Chapter Twenty Three - Staking the defense. 

I had to wait a painstaking twenty-four hours before Ash came home in total confusion as to what was going on. Brock dropped by again to be there when I handed the letter over to Ash.

"Why couldn't you just tell me over the phone?" he asked before I'd even handed it over.

"Because you need to read it to believe it. I've had to call these people up and ask if this is for real" I sighed.

"Well come on then, I've been awake all night thinking about it, let's see it" Ash demanded. I ran my fingers over the folded paper of destruction before I reluctantly gave it to him. He had a similar reaction to me, though his panic came shining through unlike the calm and collected Brock Slate.

"Your mother is absolutely crazy!" Ash yelled when he'd read the whole thing. "What the hell makes her think she can do this and get away with it? This kinda shit happens in the movies, not in real life!"

"I know" I said quietly. I took the letter back off him and read it again with a sinking heart.

__

Dear Mr. Ketchum,

I am representing one Maria Waterflower as her solicitor in her claims of emotional damage inflicted by you. The current suing value is $200,000 plus lawyer's fees. A trial has been set for April 14th, unless you are willing to settle the sum of $200,000 before this date. Otherwise, you and your solicitor will be expected in court on this date. Failure to do so will result in a fine to be paid to the court and court officials involved. 

Mrs. Waterflower has requested that the trial be held in the District Court of Cerulean City and her requests have been compiled. The trial will take place under the Hon. Judge Matthew Jacobs.

Jonathon McMahon.

"Guys, all I can say is that she doesn't have a case. How can she prove that you have emotionally damaged her? It's not like when you damage a car and the dents are there" Brock pointed out.

"Oh she can. She's a psychopath on a trail of destruction. God, I thought her putting a camera in the bach at Washbay was bad" I groaned. I buried my head in my hands that were resting on the kitchen table.

"It's okay. Like Brock said, she's got no case." Ash sounded like he was trying to reassure himself as he spoke.

"Mom'll think of something, she's so damn smart" I said sarcastically. "How did you alone cause the emotional damage? I thought she would've included me too."

"You can't really worry about that until the trial starts. For now you have to find yourself a lawyer and stake a defense to whatever she claims you've done" Brock said.

"I can't afford a lawyer!" Ash exclaimed.

"On the contrary, you can actually. You've got that bank account that kept your salary from the League. It automatically becomes open to you on your resignation and you get to keep all the funds in there for whatever use you want" Brock explained.

"How do you know all that?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Just call me Ash's financial advisor" Brock grinned.

"Okay, so advise me on where I can find a cheap lawyer" Ash groaned.

"No problemo, Ash. That's where this guy comes in." Brock dramatically threw down a copy of the Yellow Pages which was conveniently opened at the lawyer's index.

"I didn't realise there were so many lawyers in Pallet Town" Ash muttered as his eyes scanned down the page. They were all unfamiliar names and they all offered the lowest fees or the best deals. The pressure was barely on and already I felt like screaming. God only knows what Ash was going through.

"I think I should call her" I announced softly. Both Ash and Brock looked at me as if I was crazy.

"Why? What good would that do?" Ash asked.

"I just…I have to do it." I couldn't explain it in words but I think Ash saw the look in my eyes and nodded.

"Okay. But don't you let her upset you. She's full of it." I sighed at his words, managing a weak smile when I turned to leave. Was she? Mom had really pulled out all the stops this time. Emotional damage. I had to snort to myself. That was the most desperate long shot I'd ever heard. Then again, it would do the damage she set out to inflict - this was one stress Ash and I did not need, and she couldn't have timed it better. Telling us just after the tournament, the trial set two weeks before the baby was due…

The ringing tone on the phone sounded just once before Lily picked it up with what seemed like an anxious tremble in her voice. I made my voice sound a few years older (or tried to anyways) and asked for Maria. Half a minute later Mom's voice came through, making me lose any sort of charm or politeness I might have held in front of Lily.

"What the hell are you playing at, Mom?!" I shrieked. "Emotional damage? Goddamn, you're really clutching at straws this time Mom. It's not even very valid, it's a desperate excuse for -"

"I should've charged against you too. You're causing me emotional damage as we speak" Mom announced. There was a pause when I heard a commanding voice in the background. I frowned in confusion.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Oh, so you can hear that huh? Well that's a man ordering strangers to take away our most valuable things. There goes my antique silver photo frame, the television went the other day…"

"No! Please don't take my stereo!" That was Violet's voice that pierced through my heart. She loved that stereo.

"What's going on?" I barely whispered.

"Since your departure we've had nearly half our things repossessed. The girls' show sales have decreased even further and it looks like we're going to have to move out." Mom's words stung me and I stood there in silence. "Yes, move out of this gym that I've worked so hard on, hand it over to strangers, be ridiculed by the press. Now you tell me why that's not emotionally damaging and I'll drop the charges."

"Mom, I…" Something stopped me from continuing. _Come on, tell her it's not your fault, it's not Ash's fault! _"It has nothing to do with Ash."

"Misty, if I remember correctly, he was the one that sent you back here a useless misery when you were thirteen, he's the one who's got you and us into this situation, and if I can't charge him with statutory rape I'll go for the next best thing. It's all he deserves."

I had to stay calm. I'd heard all these insults on Ash before so it wasn't them that were killing me. It was the sound of valued possessions being hauled off into the unknown.

"I'm sorry Mom." It was the first time I had sincerely apologised to her but I only had it slapped back in my face. 

"I said you would be." And once again I was hung up on as another horrible emotion invaded me - guilt. A solitary tear slid down my cheek but I refused to let any more fall. It was the most pathetic level to be on when my mother made me cry, even though she had done it numerously.

"I knew you shouldn't have called her." I turned around to see Ash leaning against the door jam, his arms crossed but not looking smug.

"I had to. Because I just found out something that probably should've made the trial focus on me and not on you." I rubbed at my eyes and tried to walk past him before he grabbed my shoulders.

"Misty, you have to talk to me. I don't like it when you're this distant from me."

"I'm not being distant" I said feebly. It was a lie. I was being extremely distant and having Brock there made it so much easier. Even now I couldn't look him in the eye.

"Yes you damn well are. I know you too well and I know that right now you're keeping your distance. Why? That fight was stupid and I apologised, I've put it behind me, why can't you?" Ash asked. His voice sounded almost hopeless and I sighed wearily.

"Because I'm making things worse for you, so maybe you should've just let sleeping dogs lie and stayed up there."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ash asked in astonishment.

"The trial, you're being charged with emotional damage, you alone, when really a lot of it is my fault. Mom wants to charge me too but it's too late and now it's my fault that their stuff is being repossessed and that they're moving out and you're being charged with something that is a mutual mistake and I -"

"Misty, you're rambling" Ash gently interrupted. I paused, thinking over my words. Hmm. I did seem to be repeating myself. "As for their things being repossessed, well that is not directly your fault. If the public can't understand that this is you and you're separate from your sisters, then that's their problem. It's not yours. Do you hear me?" His grip on my shoulders got tighter and I nodded but with my eyes still on the ground. "Do you love me?"

"What?" I asked in surprise. It was the only sentence that caused me to look at him directly.

"Do you love me? I don't know these days" Ash shrugged.

"Of course I love you. I'm just so confused, I'm so upset about all of this. It's like she can't leave us alone, she has to be out to get us or else her life isn't fulfilled. I know she's mean and destructive but I think somewhere inside her something is…sad." I sighed in a mingle of emotions. "She can't be happy if she wants other people, her own daughter no less, to be unhappy."

"I know what you mean. But you don't have to let that influence how you feel about me, or how you think I feel about you. Because I love you, no matter how much nastier your mother gets every day. She doesn't worry me. You, however, do" Ash smiled weakly.

"Why don't you worry about yourself? You've got a trial coming up, a trial that puts all the blame of everything on you, and you're worrying about if I'm being distant or if I still love you. I do, I swear I do, but my mind is running in a million directions. How do we, two sixteen-year olds, defend ourselves against a woman as powerful and cunning as my mother?" I asked hopelessly.

"We do it because we can get through anything. We're getting through a huge obstacle, we got through possibly one of the worst fights we could ever have and now we're going to get through this. I promise." Ash kissed my forehead as he finished speaking and I smiled.

"I'm sorry I signed the papers."

"Just don't even talk about that, I don't care. We've gotta be focused for now. Come on, let's get back to those yellow pages." Ash grasped my hand and led me back to Brock who was jotting down names and phone numbers. 

*******

Let me tell you a few things about going up for trial at the age of sixteen. Ash could tell you better, but from what I experienced it was nothing but pure hell. First of all you have to get yourself a lawyer, who charges about $500 an hour - okay, maybe that's an exaggeration but nonetheless it would be coming close - and then you have to do the background work. As in, why the hell Mom was doing this to Ash.

So once you've got your background stuff sussed and you pretty much know the jist of the prosecutor's claims, you have to come up with some kind of defense.

Here's a task for you all. Try defending yourself on the terms of emotional damage. It's not easy, is it?

Mom's claims were pretty much what we expected them to be - the shows decreasing since the news leaked, Ash breaking up with me when we were thirteen, his apparent neglect at leaving me alone until I was three months pregnant…stuff that was 99% lies. We weren't even sure if we had all of it nailed, and our lawyer warned us that some surprises could come during the hearing.

Our lawyer was very cool. Jenny O'Brien was young but experienced and had even seen her sister through a teenage pregnancy so she knew what we were going through. She agreed that the claims were stupid and downright desperate, and she vowed that there was no way Mom could win this. We had a valid defense for everything we knew and we were pretty much set.

Brock was a saint sent directly from heaven. He sorted out all the finances (which we couldn't have done ourselves, neither Ash nor myself were strong in math) and organised meetings for us. Sort of like a walking talking agenda. Not to mention the fact that he had some good points when it came to our defense.

Meanwhile Junior K (as we had nicknamed the baby) was kicking all the time, to the point where I felt I would topple over from the force. The foster parents thing wasn't cemented by the time we reached court but to tell you the truth it was the last thing on anyone's minds. I hadn't heard from Sarah, nor had I made any attempt at all to contact her. My focus was to get out of that courtroom alive. We could settle on the foster parents once this was over with.

Dad's emails also became very scarce. When once he had been emailing me every day, I now got the occasional catch-up once a fortnight. He told me that they had moved to a smaller house and were keeping well, despite everything that was going on, and that he was looking forward to seeing me when we came up to Cerulean.

So for nearly two months we worked our asses off to make sure we wouldn't be coughing up two hundred grand to mother dearest. Ash wasn't short of money, his title had seen to that, but money was something we had to keep in perspective. Lawyers, airfares to Cerulean and the many long-distance calls we made to my hometown slowly ate away at our funds.

We were set to leave for Cerulean on April 10th, as we had a settlement meeting to attend on the 11th. No way were we settling. Ash wasn't going to pay Mom $200,000 for something that had hardly been his fault and for something so stupid. Sometimes we both swore it would be easier but we couldn't do all this work and end up giving her what she wanted.

Delia and Brock came to Cerulean too, like we were all one big happy family or something. I don't know, I wasn't in a very good mood when we touched down and this was expressed the minute I set foot in my hotel room.

"Right, so now that we're at the home of all drama and dramatics on earth we can expect the baby to pop out any second. Wouldn't that be a nice way to kick-start our journey from here on in?" I said sarcastically as I flopped down on the bed. 

"Don't say things like that, Mist. It might very well happen" Ash said worriedly, glancing at my stomach. I was thirty eight weeks along. There's approximately forty in a normal pregnancy. But with my few experiences of normality, I was expecting something abnormal. 

"At least it would delay the trial. Maybe the kid's gorgeous face would woo the jury and they'd all be so smitten that they'd acquit you and we could all live happily ever after" I sneered. "And Mom could go to hell" I added.

"Misty…" Ash said warningly.

"I'm serious, Ash! Look at what she's doing! What she's _done_! You can't sit there and tell me that my mother deserves to be happy after everything she's put us through."

"You still shouldn't talk about her like that. She is suing me for two hundred thousand dollars here, she doesn't need more provoking from her youngest daughter."

"I've said worse about her. How would she find out anyways?"

"Uh Mist, let us not forget a little incident with a video camera" Ash reminded me.

"Oh yeah." I paused before shrugging my shoulders. "I don't see anything round here so I'm not worried." I directed my eyes to the ceiling. In less than 24 hours I would be reunited with my mother. I hadn't seen her in six months but in that time she had managed to spill everything to Mark, lead me on a huge guilt trip and sue my boyfriend.

Wonderwoman? Wonderbitch.

"What's on your mind?" Ash asked as he sat beside me.

"Basically everything that's happened since I was reunited with you. I can't believe I'm still sort of sane" I grinned.

"Yeah, sort of" Ash laughed. I punched his arm and laughed with him when he fell down beside me in mock pain. "Oh woe is me, I can't feel my arm…"

"Oh shut up" I giggled. A familiar thought suddenly crossed my mind and I frowned in worry. "Random question - do you think you'll win?"

"Misty, I went two years in the League undefeated, lost you but got you back and fielded media circuses during the most trying times of my life. I haven't done all that in order to lose to some deranged power-hungry woman. I will win, and when I do I'll take you to the fanciest restaurant in town to celebrate" Ash proclaimed. I eyed him in surprise. The confidence practically oozed out of him and it was what I needed to hear.

"I don't have a nice enough dress to wear out" was the only reply I could give him.

"Well we'll find some way to celebrate. I'd rather spend the two hundred grand on you than your mother." Ash grasped my hand and looked at me with eyes that spoke of conviction and determination. "_We _will win. We've beaten your mother before, won't make any difference inside a court room." I nodded at his words and smiled weakly before there was a knock on the door and Brock came in. 

"Hey, Jenny just got here, she wants to go over the settlement decline procedure."

"What impressive jargon" I mused as Ash helped me up.

"You don't have to come with us, Mist. Maybe you should take a nap or something" Ash suggested.

"Don't be stupid, I'm fine" I snapped. Ash shrugged and helped me on our way to the meeting room where Jenny was waiting. What I really wanted to say was that I was my turn to stand by him as he had done for me so many times before, but I got this niggling feeling that Brock was getting a little sick of our romantic interludes. I wouldn't blame him - since the forgiveness over the fight it had been nothing but mush mixed with legal dealings in the Ketchum household. Poor Brock. As wonderful as it was for me to be a part of, being an observer must have been tiring.

The meeting outlined everything we had to do in order to decline the settlement, which included signing papers and telling Mom front up that we weren't gonna pay her without a fight. We had nothing to pay her for and nothing owed to her. 

I tossed and turned that night for reasons unknown to me. I wasn't hugely stressed but I didn't fall asleep until about 2am, all alone in a big double bed. I sighed. I wished Ash was beside me but he had been sent to the couch to keep Delia's dignity in check. Well, it wasn't her dignity, but you know what I mean. Her household rules didn't change in a hotel.

Oh Mom. In a few days, you would pay for everything you'd ever done to me.

A/N: Eeek, outta words. Speechless, if you will. Another one tomorrow and thanks for all your words, kind, critical, nasty, blah blah blah…until tomorrow everyone!


	25. Day One

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon.

A/N: This is hard to write because I have a German yelling in my ear. Haha! Just don't ask, just read and review and flame or whatever you feel like. 

****

Chapter twenty four - Day One

"All rise for the honorable Judge Jacobs."

I practically shot to my feet at the words. Nothing was going wrong in this trial - nothing. Not even the judge's arrival. Ash eyed me strangely as he rose to greet the judge but didn't utter a word until we sat down.

"Relax." It was all he said and I nodded, keeping my stare straight ahead. I was anything but relaxed. I could see my mother plain as day, my sisters and my father sitting in the audience gallery behind me. This was so scary. An image flashed in my mind of me getting up and running straight out the door with aghast faces watching me, much like some sort of comedy or drama movie. 

"Case 314, Waterflower vs. Ketchum, on the claims of emotional damage." I don't know who that guy was who said all that stuff. He just appeared to be the guy who filled the judge in. "Jury may enter." And right on command, twelve men and women walked in and took their seats.

There isn't usually a jury but Mom had sued for such a huge amount that it was one of those exceptions. Twelve strangers would decide whether my Ash was guilty of emotional damage when he had emotionally healed me after a long struggle. 

The trial was only expected to take two or so days unless the jury couldn't come to a decision, in which case there would be a re-trial with a different jury board. I prayed that wouldn't happen. I just couldn't face all this again.

"The prosecution may make their opening statement" Judge Jacobs announced. Mom's lawyer stood up, his black hair sleeked back and beady eyes scanning over the court room. I glowered at the mere sight of him. He looked oilier than his hair.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, we are here to hopefully restore a shattered woman's life. A respected member of many communities, Maria Waterflower had watched her youngest daughter be sent home from a heartbreak that seemed unfixable. Her nurturing instincts welcomed young Misty back into the gym and for two years she tried to help her daughter through a very trying time."

I swear to God I would've screamed out 'objection' if my mouth wasn't superglued by the words I had just heard. Nurturing? Welcomed? Help?! This was ridiculous. 

"Yet the defendant once again waltzed back into the Waterflowers' lives and enticed the youngest daughter back to a life of sin. That youngest daughter is now nearly nine months pregnant with his child. She has had her innocence and her life destroyed by the same man and all Maria Waterflower is trying to do, ladies and gents, is help her daughter. Reputations have been tarnished, rumours have spread and lives have been devastated by the events this man here -" He pointed to Ash at this stage " - has let come to pass. So all I ask of you is that you have an ear of sympathy for this woman. She has been through hell and back for the sake of her daughter, for the sake of her family and her other daughters' careers. All she wants is to see justice put in its rightful place."

I could've died. I could've screamed, I could've punched my mother for making that bullshit up, but I didn't. Of course I didn't, I would probably be in jail right now if I had done all that. No, I just sat calmly and squeezed Ash's hand when Jenny took to the stage. At least what she had to say was the truth.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I too am trying to restore shattered lives. Imagine it - you're fifteen years old, you run into an old flame you were head over heels in love with, and that flame soon ignites to something huge. Something you only get once in a lifetime. It's not something all of us can claim has happened to us, but for those of us who have been a part of this magic, we know that it's something incredible. My client felt this the moment he laid eyes on Misty Waterflower at the mere age of ten years old. Five years later the two were reunited and love ran its inevitable course. As a result, Misty is now pregnant and has had to face many tribulations. And who has been by her side the whole time? None other than Ashton Ketchum, the same man the prosecution is claiming to damage someone's life. How can this woman -" Now she was pointing at Mom, "- say she is looking out for her daughter's well-being when her daughter is obviously very happy and very in love with a man who wants nothing but to be there for her?"

Hmm. I liked the way she kept calling him a man. At this thought, I tried not to let my erupting giggles escape and instead bit my lip furiously. 

"As you will hear in the upcoming witness accounts, Maria Waterflower apparently had no concern for her daughter at all. She was looking out for her reputation, for her triplet daughters' promising careers and for her_ own _well-being. It's hard to imagine your daughter being pregnant and alone at the age of fifteen, but Misty was lucky. She had my client. The thought of having someone there for your child would usually be comforting - but not to Mrs. Waterflower. Ladies and gentlemen, these two teenagers have endured so much already and have no reason to be here except to witness a jealous woman's power trip. You too will see that in the upcoming days."

Wow! She really socked it to 'em! I was grinning when she sat back down and I could see Mom scathing opposite us. I had a mad desire to stick my tongue out at her or pull the finger out on her but I controlled myself. Ash was smiling too. He had every right to be confident. We would snag this. 

"Prosecution may begin their examination." The judge didn't seem to do much. He wasn't even writing notes. And I couldn't _stand _his wig. Yuck. Even someone with no fashion sense had to cringe at the white deformed mop that adorned his head. 

"Prosecution calls Maria Waterflower to the witness stand."

I watched my mother slowly walk up to the box and calmly take a seat. No expression crossed her face when she swore to tell the truth (which I inwardly swore she wouldn't do) and the examination began.

"Mrs. Waterflower, how many children do you have?"

"I have four daughters." Ding ding, the most honest answer Mom would give today.

"Uh-huh. And you love your daughters."

"I love all four of them" Mom beamed. She almost looked genuine and I almost started gagging. 

"You love your daughters so much that if a boy made any of them unhappy you would instantly feel protective towards them, correct?"

"It's a mother's maternal instinct. I only want the best for my daughters and I hate to see any of them unhappy."

"So when Misty fell pregnant to the defendant, who was your anger directed towards more?"

"Ash of course. He had devastated Misty once before, I didn't want her going through that again. It killed me to see her so forlorn" Mom said sadly.

__

Give me a goddamn break! Geez, if my mind had been my mouth I would've been in so much trouble by now. I couldn't look at Mom as she continued to sickly describe her overwhelming love for me and her anger towards Ash for 'making Misty unhappy.' Yeah, nice one Mom.

"How do you feel at the prospect of having a grandchild so early in your life?"

"That child is nothing more than an illegitimate offspring of the imbecile who broke my daughter's heart" Mom said coldly. Her words froze all sort of life within me as I struggled to comprehend what she was saying. Ash had broken my heart, sure, but that was in the past. Now he was making me happy and she didn't care. She still called him an imbecile. It really threw me.

The questions were pretty boring and all the answers were crap, but she was obviously appealing to the jury to make them realise how much she loved me. Oh Mom. The truth shall set you free, you silly git.

"Do you wish to cross-examine?" the judge asked Jenny. 

"I do, your honor." With that she rose from her seat and slowly walked towards Mom with menacing eyes. Ooh she was good. Even her eyes scared the shit out of anyone she considered an enemy. "Mrs. Waterflower, did you or did you not physically slap your daughter in the face when she told you she was pregnant?"

A gasp reverberated around the court room, a gasp that developed into whispers that caused the judge to bang down his hammer in an order for silence. Mom's eyes had gone wide. She looked like a trapped doe, but I knew there was no innocence within her like there would be at a defenseless doe.

"I…I, um, well…"

"Please just answer yes or no, Mrs. Waterflower." There was a long pause before Mom averted her eyes and muttered out her answer.

"Yes."

The jurors started taking notes and Ash flashed a discreet smile at me. Round one to Jenny. We were on our way to freedom.

"And why did you do this to a daughter you were supposedly trying to protect? Surely if you were that concerned about her safety you wouldn't have _slapped _her, ultimately putting her in danger of physical and emotional injury?" Another bulls eye for Jenny.

"I…I was angry, I didn't know how to react. She broke the news so suddenly" Mom said feebly.

"Okay. Also shortly after Misty broke the news you ordered her out of your house, isn't that right?" Jenny started. Mom furiously shook her head in response. "Well we have evidence of this by the latest census of Kanto that showed that Misty was living in the Ketchum household in Pallet Town, whereas at the Cerulean Gym she was not even mentioned in the census." Jenny handed some papers over to the judge, who scanned them with fixated eyes.

"She chose to go!" Mom exclaimed. "She didn't want to stay, she thought she would shame us all."

Oh my God. I hate her.

"Misty, Ash, Delia Ketchum and Jeff Waterflower have all testified that she was kicked out. We have recorded the testaments for evidence." 

Jeff Waterflower? Dad?! I turned my head with wide eyes to meet his vacant stare, but he smiled at me when he met my gaze.

"Jeff wanted her out too!"

"That's not the question, Mrs. Waterflower. You have lied to a state court about Misty's dwelling conditions. Your honesty will be observed closely from this moment on" Judge Jacobs said warningly. Mom looked despondent, I looked over the moon, and Jenny couldn't help a little smile escape her lips.

"No further questions."

"The prosecution may now call their second witness" Judge Jacobs announced. The nerves came back, no matter how confident I had felt at the last round victory. 

Geez, I sounded like I was talking about a Pokémon battle.

"Prosecution calls Violet Waterflower to the witness stand."

I couldn't look up as Violet walked over to the stand. Just as I was beginning to get on with her and the other two they had gone against me and it was a pain that still stung at me like it had happened yesterday.

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"I do" Violet replied quietly.

"Can you tell me Violet what has happened since your sister fell pregnant to the defendant?" 

"Once the media got a hold of it, we had to change our whole lifestyle. We've sold the gym, me and my sisters are working at various places rather than swimming which is our passion, we're living in a small house and it has put so much strain on our whole family. People think we encouraged her to be with Ash but we knew he was trouble. Lots of our things have been repossessed and…" Violet trailed off and bit her lip. "It's just so shameful, knowing that our baby sister went out and did something like this."

"And what kind of toll has it taken on your family?"

"We're all so stressed. Mom and Dad argue a lot and none of us seem to be happy anymore. It weighs on all our minds" Violet sighed.

She didn't present anything that was too damning so Jenny decided not to cross-examine. By the time Violet had finished answering her questions it was 4.30 (yeah, trials take a while don't they?) and the judge declared it adjourned until 1pm the next day. Then it would be our turn to call witnesses to the stand. We had three, even though the prosecution only had two, but there was nothing wrong with that.

And I was one of them. Lucky me.

"You guys were fantastic!" Brock exclaimed as we walked out of the court room. "You've pretty much got it nailed, those jurors were nothing but shocked when they heard about the whole slapping thing. Plus the fact that your mom lied has got her in a lot of hot water."

"I think we all owe Jenny a massive thank you" Ash said quietly. We would've, but Jenny was talking to the judge and a few other officials about witnesses or something. I don't really know. I was just so grateful to get out of that room and away from the people in there. 

I sat down on a bench to rest my ankles (sounds pathetic doesn't it?) while the guys and Delia were discussing what had happened when someone sat beside me and took in a deep breath.

"I'm on your side, Misty."

I slowly turned my head around to meet my father's eyes and broke into a huge grin at the sight of him. No other words were said as I accepted his outstretched arms, falling into a hug I didn't want to let go of. I couldn't believe he had privately testified against Mom.

"Daddy…thank you" I whispered.

"I'm sorry your mother is doing this to you both" Dad started as he pulled away. "You don't deserve it. I've told her a thousand times over that she's mad and it's hopeless but she won't listen. With that lawyer you've got you should nail it."

"Here's hoping" I sighed. It was at this point Ash walked over and smiled broadly at the two of us. He could've been in a tropical spa resort, he looked so relaxed.

"You feeling okay Mist?" Ash asked in concern.

"My feet just got a bit sore. Stupid isn't it, I've only been standing up for five minutes" I laughed. Suddenly my manners found me as I realised Ash hadn't met Dad. "Um, Ash, this is my father, Jeff. Dad, this is Ash." The two of them shook hands and now my father was the one smiling.

"My many thanks to you, Ash. You have made my daughter happier than anyone I know."

"Huh? But I broke up with her when we were thirteen and got her pregnant and -"

"I know all that" Dad gently interrupted. "But I can safely say that it appears to be worth it. There is no way Misty would be smiling at all if she were back in Cerulean with us. You've given her enough love to last a lifetime and for that I am truly grateful. I don't care what Maria says, she's gone over the line this time, and I think I'll -"

"Jeff! I've been looking for you everywhere, come on, we've got a meeting with Jonathon" Mom's shrill voice rang out. I could see her but avoided her eye as she approached us.

"Who's Jonathon?" I cautiously asked.

"The lawyer" Dad explained. I nodded and watched Mom getting closer and closer. What would I say to her? What would Ash say to her? I suddenly became very frightened.

"Jeff, we've got to go" she said simply.

"Can you give me a minute?" Dad asked wearily.

"We can't afford to waste even a minute at the moment." Mom turned her glare on me and I gulped, cursing myself for being so pathetic in front of her.

"Hi Mom" I managed to squeak out.

"I don't think there's any room for pleasantries right now. We'll see the both of you tomorrow" Mom announced. She strode away with Dad slowly following, although he turned and waved to us both. He looked sort of sad as he followed her out of the court house, his shoulders slumped and his pace slow. I frowned at Ash when he sat down beside me.

"I hope Dad's alright. He doesn't seem to be acting like himself."

"This whole thing must be stressing him. It must be stressing everyone involved, yourself included, so we are getting you back to the hotel to rest" Ash announced.

"I don't want to rest" I complained, though I was actually exhausted. I didn't realise this would take such a toll on me. "I want to sort out what we're doing tomorrow."

"Simple, we're calling you to the stand and you're going to answer every single question truthfully" Ash said seriously. "You're the key to bringing her down and you don't have to lie to do it like she does. After this we'll be free, our lives are our own when this is over."

I smiled at that prospect and eventually let him talk me into leaving. There was nothing more we needed to discuss with Jenny or anyone else for that matter, so Ash and I left with Brock and Delia in tow for a night's rest we would all desperately be needing. Tomorrow was the defense's turn, we would all be in the spotlight.

Delia hugged the both of us simultaneously (as only Delia can do) and decided she'd make dinner at the hotel. I had to laugh. This wasn't exactly a holiday or a reason to celebrate (yet) but Delia couldn't help herself. 

That night, for the first time in nine months, I slept beside Ash, thanks to Delia's backing down a bit on the rules. Now DON'T go getting any thoughts of that kind because seriously, I was nine months pregnant. Yeah, kinda freezes that idea doesn't it? But all sarcasm aside, it was the most comforting and nicest feeling in the world. I fell asleep with his arms around me, holding me close, and with nothing but sweet dreams of him and victory over my mother invading my mind.

A/N: Can't write much cos my concentration is shattered. AAML forever! (we'll throw that in there cos I haven't said it in a while!)


	26. Day Two: Judgment Day

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon.

A/N: I'm gonna be quick cos I'm tired, I'm not even signing on to MSN because I'm that buggered. Unusual? Just slightly! Anyways read on, we're getting closer to the end, wooo! 

****

Chapter twenty five - Day Two: Judgment Day

I woke up when Ash's kisses on the back of my neck became my alarm clock and I couldn't wipe off the initial grin that hit my face. What a feeling. So what if nothing had happened because of my oversized stomach? It was still captivating to wake up to his kisses, to know that he loved me first thing in the morning when my hair was a mess and my eyes were full of sleep dust. 

"Hey" I said sleepily as I turned to face him.

"Good morning my soon-to-be victorious goddess" Ash greeted me.

"I thought you were the one who was supposed to be victorious" I yawned.

"Win or lose today, I am always victorious because of the one person lying here beside me" Ash said softly. He kissed me tenderly when he had finished speaking and I responded with as much passion as I could muster at 8 o'clock in the morning. My gut was telling me that today was the day. Ash would win the trial and we would walk free from Mom's bitter grasp forever.

"You want breakfast?" Ash asked when the kiss was finally halted.

"Sounds good" I replied. And that morning, just for the hell of it, I was treated to breakfast in bed. For just that morning I considered myself the luckiest girl in the world, no trial could bring that down. Especially a trial Ash was gonna win.

We still had a lot of time to kill before the trial restarted but this was achieved by yet another meeting with Jenny to confirm our witnesses for that day - me, Ash and Delia. She said it was a move that would probably cause a lot of whispers to start up, especially since she had chosen not to cross-examine Violet, but she said that us three were the major keys to the truth. No matter what the prosecution threw in our faces, even they wouldn't be able to deny that Mom had been harsh beyond compare and that she deserved no sort of financial rewards.

I passed a calendar in the hotel room after the meeting and realised with a jolt that it was the fifteenth of April - exactly one week before my due date. At least we didn't have to worry about this baby being too premature. However, I was worried about the whole adoption process. Sarah was probably calling frantically, wondering where the hell I was and if Ash was ever going to sign those papers.

We were going back to Pallet Town the next day and I couldn't wait to get away from my mother. Seeing her the day before had really shaken me, although I had told myself that she couldn't do anything to me. As embarrassing as it was to admit, I was still scared by her. She had dominated my life for the most part and had made me more unhappy than anyone ever had. 

"Come on Mist, it's time to go and rise for the honorable judge" Brock announced as he poked his head into my room. 

"It is?" I asked in confusion. God, where had the time gone? I grabbed my handbag and followed him out the door but not before grabbing his shoulder and eyeing him severely. "Do you honestly think Ash will win today?" I asked.

"Does it matter what I think? He puts his faith in you because you are the one thing he lets into his heart. If you think he can win, he knows in his heart he can win" Brock replied.

"I think he can win" I said quietly.

"That's the spirit. Let's go kick some motherly ass" Brock grinned. I laughed and followed him to the hall where Delia and Ash were waiting. Delia was looking nervous and I couldn't blame her. Public appearances were not her forte and I was pretty much in the same boat. All those people watching me, wanting answers, wanting me to say the right thing…

"You'll be fine" Ash assured me as if he was reading my mind. 

"If you say so" I sighed. And true to Brock's word, I was soon rising for the honorable judge. This time I didn't stand up as if I had just sat on a tack but instead calmly ascended (on swollen ankles) and kept a non-expressive face on for show. No way was anyone going to figure out how truly nervous I was about all this.

All the protocol went through, case number so and so, Mom versus my boyfriend, yada yada yada. Even after only a second show of this I was no stranger to it. The judge proclaimed that it was the defense who would be calling their witnesses today and with that Jenny the Magnificent took her cue.

"Defense calls Misty Waterflower to the stand."

Okay, I was first up. Gave me less time to grow nervous and also gave me the opportunity to get this over and done with. Ash smiled at me before I slowly walked up, trying to ooze dignity but feeling somewhat clumsy at this attempt. 

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

Oh help me God. Please help me. I swallowed my nerves away and answered with as much aloofness as I could put on. That was the only deceit I would be performing today.

"I do." The guy and the Bible went out of my sight and Jenny slowly came walking towards me. Her eyes were severe but I still saw the little messages of reassurance printed in them.

"Miss Waterflower, why are you even at this trial? It's not you going up for charges of any sort."

"I'm here because my boyfriend is up for charges that are false and I want to be here to support him. I love him" I added. Hey, I had been told to tell the truth, I was doing exactly that.

"Okay, that's fair enough. Is there any other reason?" Jenny burned her eyes into mine and I couldn't help avoiding them. 

"My…my mother is the one who's suing him."

"Now the jury knows all this, they know the facts of this case. I've brought you up here so you can tell your side of the story and to let them know the facts _behind _this case. When you're ready Misty, I'd like you to tell me and everyone else here the kind of relationship you had with your mother" Jenny announced. I took a quick glimpse at Mom's cold eyes before I started. Not exactly the confidence boost I needed but maybe the incentive to be as damaging as possible whilst still being honest.

"My mother and I had a very volatile relationship while I was living here in Cerulean City. She would yell at me, threaten me, punish me for things I don't consider wrong…"

"What kinds of things?" Jenny interrupted.

"Not being able to live up to my sisters' talents when it came to swimming and performing. Falling in love with someone who's apparently irresponsible but who was the world's youngest Pokémon Master and who couldn't afford to be irresponsible. Nearly drowning."

"She punished you for nearly drowning?" Jenny asked in astonishment. I don't think she knew about that one.

"Well, she didn't punish me exactly. She said I was stupid and that she was ashamed of me" I admitted in a strangled voice. This was harder than I had expected it to be. 

"How did you feel when she said this to you?"

"I should've been used to it, considering she practically told me she wished I had never been born. But then again, she said that when she found out I had slept with Ash" I said thoughtfully. "But it still hurt. Everything she said to me hurt."

I could see the jurors furiously scrawling down notes. What were they writing? 'Too overdramatic.' 'The poor wee thing, what a sod of a mother.' 'This is gonna be a toughie. God I could go for a beer.'

Well, I'm sure none of them were writing down that last statement.

"We've already heard that your mother slapped you when she found out you were pregnant. What else did she do or say?" Jenny asked gently.

"She told Ash that the slap would knock some sense into me, that I was stupid and that since he cared about me so much he wouldn't mind finding me a place to stay. Then she said she was going to call Dad, which she did" I replied.

"Can you please tell the court what her actions were while you were on your summer vacation."

I had been expecting this one. Not mentioning the video camera would have cost us a lot of points but Jenny had brought it up and, I'll say it again, the truth shall set you free. Or at least, it would set Ash free.

"She had installed a security video camera into the bach me and my sisters were staying at and if I didn't go out to a party or to socialise she would call and demand why."

"So she was pretty much spying on you." It was a statement, not a question, and I nodded to Jenny's words. Mom had her eyes directed at the floor and now the judge was taking notes too. "And she would be angry or punish you when you didn't go out." Another statement, another nod. Jenny's face suddenly broke out into a smile. "Thank you, Misty. No further questions."

Oh dammit. The prosecution wanted to cross-examine. I felt my palms go damp with sweaty nerves and reality start to mesh into a nightmare. 

"Miss Waterflower, isn't it true you slept with the defendant when you were fifteen years old?"

SHIT! I didn't think anyone would bring that up! But then again, wouldn't everyone have figured it out? I eyed him coolly, totally deceiving my nerves as I did so.

"That's true, sir. But may I just point out before you go on that what I did was my choice, and that no one else has any right to blame Ash for statutory rape or anything of the sort. I am the only one who can do that and I don't intend to."

The lawyer scowled and I continued to stare him down. He wasn't bringing Ash down for the sake of my mother. There was just no way. 

"No further questions."

What a relief! It hadn't been too grueling but it had been enough and I gratefully walked back to my seat next to Ash. He had looked deep in thought when I'd been up there but now he was flashing me yet another smile and grasping my hand.

"Well done." The words were few and simple but they were enough to lead me to believe I had done alright. I sighed and smiled at the same time before Delia took her place in the stand.

Her questions included what my mother had said to me over the phone in the Ketchum household, how upset I had been at her comments, even the whole ordeal with Mark and the media had been thrown in there somewhere. Mom had told Mark everything, and Delia said she wouldn't be surprised if Mom had done it to indirectly spill the news around the world.

Bless Delia. I never knew she could be so brave. 

The prosecution didn't want to cross-examine her and I think she was just as grateful as I had been at being allowed to step down. But then again, she was probably as anxious as I was at watching her son take to the stand. The prosecution table glared at him like they were finally going to be able to bring him down. They had been a little weak so far, but this would be it. 

Yeah. Whatever.

"Mr. Ketchum, how well do you know the Waterflower family?" Jenny asked.

"I've known Misty since I was ten, I battled against her sisters at that age too, her father I met yesterday and her mother I met last year" Ash replied simply.

"Let's say you're around twenty four years of age. You're still going out with Misty and despite the fact you made her pregnant aged fifteen, you still love her and want to marry her. Would you ask any member of her family for their blessing?"

I hadn't expected that kind of question, one that's set in the future. What a nice thought, Ash asking me to marry him aged twenty four. I smiled as daydreams threatened to break my concentration but quickly snapped back when Ash gave his answer.

"To tell you the truth, I would only have the guts to ask her father" Ash slightly laughed.

"This isn't just because of this trial, is it?" Jenny asked.

"Oh no, of course not. If this trial hadn't taken place I would still be scared to approach Mrs. Waterflower. Before I met her she branded me a no-life or home wrecker or anything that gave me a bad name. I thought she was just upset because I had broken her daughter's heart but even when I've promised to support Mist and always be there for her she has continued to hate me" Ash replied. "And I wouldn't ask anything from anyone who has upset Misty the way I've seen her do so."

Oh Ash. You are truly my knight in shining armor. 

That was the best piece of evidence he gave that day. By now it was obvious that Mom had done more than a little damage to me and the rest of the questions were pretty standard - how do you feel about Mrs. Waterflower, why did you refuse to settle, blah blah blah. Mom's lawyer, with his head in his hands, declined to cross-examine and the jury was sent to debate their decision.

For two nail biting hours we waited. We drank coffee, we played video games in the arcade across the street, we talked, we did anything to keep our minds off it. Despite my confidence at a victory for my beloved, I was still wondering if the jury would see things the way I did.

We were called back into the court room as the jury filed its way back in. Twelve strangers, twelve decisions - unanimous decisions? God I hoped so. If they said the words 'hung jury' I would cry. I didn't want them to be undecided. I didn't see how they could be, but maybe I was just being biased.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a verdict?"

"We have, your Honor." Oh God, I couldn't bear this. I squeezed Ash's hand so tight I could've broken a knuckle or two and continued to stare intently at the head juror.

"Please inform the court of your decision."  


"Of case number 314, Waterflower vs. Ketchum on the claims of emotional damage, we find the defendant, Ashton Ketchum…"

There was one of those dreaded pauses. I could've torn myself apart in frustration before the verdict finally hit my ears.

"Not guilty."

I heard a bang from the prosecution table and realised Mom had slumped her head onto the table in despair. She should've seen it coming. She shouldn't have even tried. But I only witnessed this for a second before Ash locked his lips on mine in a kiss that signified triumph and gratefulness.

We were free. And it had truly been a team effort.

*******

Of course, celebrations ensued that night, and we made no attempt to make excuses for doing something extra special. Ash treated me, Delia and Brock to dinner at a particularly nice restaurant, although Delia fiercely protested and I swore I had nothing to wear.

"That's what you said when I told you I'd take you out to celebrate. I won't hear of it Mist. Just put any old thing on, I don't care, you look fantastic in anything to me" Ash had replied.

"Trust you to say that" I muttered.

So I wound up in a sort of nice red dress I had brought along just in case and for once I decided not to care about the looks people gave me. Staring wouldn't change anything about the situation I was in so why should I give a damn?

The restaurant we went to was called the Dux de Lux, and they don't add the de Lux on the end for nothing. Every measurement of dining was extended to be as flash as possible. Flowers, candles, music, a dance floor…it was the complete works. I'd never even heard of it or known it had existed while I was living in Cerulean. Too upper brow for me, I guess.

Dinner was beyond words. Superb just doesn't cut it. I had to wonder why Ash was so insistent to pay for something so expensive but I decided not to worry for the meantime. We chatted and laughed, all four of us feeling a weight now off our shoulders for good. I decided, as I looked into those sparkling eyes of Ash's that hadn't sparkled in so long, that if Mom tried anything stupid again I would seriously slap a restraining order on her. I didn't want anyone worrying over her antics again.

"Care to dance?" I had been so absorbed in my thoughts I hadn't noticed Ash's outstretched hand inviting me to the dance floor.

"I can't dance" I replied in a panic, my eyes darting over couples who were perfectly executing foxtrots or whatever it was they were doing.

"Just follow my lead" Ash instructed. I reluctantly placed my hand in his and followed him out just as a number was finishing.

"Oh, too bad, song's finished" I muttered as I tried to walk back to the table.

"Misty" Ash laughed, pulling me back with the grip he had on my arm. "Come on, it's not so scary once you get into it." He held me close, so close I realised my petty worries were drifting away. His arms, _himself_, was a barrier from all I thought could ever hurt me. He loved me and he wanted me to be happy, which is more than I can say for certain members of my family.

"Hey I like this song" Ash told me as the opening chords filled the room.

"I've never heard of it" I said. 

"It's from the 70s so you don't have to foxtrot, don't worry" Ash grinned. Although the song was quite upbeat, Ash lead me on a slow dream-like path that I traveled on through love and triumph. Nothing and no one could beat us now, and I smiled at the lyrics Ash sung into my ear.

"_I feel the sunshine on my face_

When I just close my eyes and I trace

The footsteps to your daddy's summer place

Where we spent our early summer days."

"You certainly didn't spend your early summer days at Daddy's bach, except on the porch. You were talking to me through mail slots" I pointed out. Ash laughed at my comments before launching into the chorus.

"_When you gave your love to me_

And I remember perfectly

High above all time and space

And I remember summer days."

He kissed my forehead as the chorus repeated. "Maybe that chorus is a little more relevant."

"High above all time and space because I gave my love to you. Yes, makes a lot of sense and is very true" I smiled. "And I'll always remember those summer days. Always." I kissed him to prove it but had to pull away suddenly when an unfamiliar pain ran throughout my body. I grimaced in an attempt not to cry out and realised what was happening just as I caught the worried look on Ash's face.

"Misty? What's wrong?" I replied to him when the pain finally dissolved.

"Uh, Ash…it's happening."

"What's happening?" Ash asked. I had to smile at his dimness, even in a situation as precarious as this.

"The baby is happening."

A/N: Eeek! REALLY close to the end now huh? Haha. Well that's all from me tonight, another one tomorrow if all goes to plan. Nearly didn't get this one up so I hope you're all grateful! LOL, later everyone!


	27. The Day My Life Changed

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon! Eeek, what's with the exclamation mark? Ah I dunno, let's just use it anyways!

A/N: The third to last chapter. Sniff…it's all drawing to a close! But ah well, it's all good, let's read on!

****

Chapter twenty six – The day my life changed

The pain was unbearable, inevitable, never-ending and downright horrible. I had been warned about this, about how enduring it was and how to breathe and all that. Didn't help. I was still feeling like someone was repeatedly skinning me alive.

Well okay, I won't be so dramatic. Labour is something you think is easy until it starts kicking in. Then you realise why people actually call it labour. To go through that much pain is a task in itself to survive and I repeatedly asked for drugs of any and every kind. But remember, this is only when it started to kick in. Before that, Ash was panicking more than I was. 

What had we been doing? Oh yeah, we'd been dancing. My memory went a bit foggy as the panic and the big rush set in. Ash had immediately dragged me back to the table and told Delia in a flurry of meshed, panicked words. Delia repeatedly had to ask her son what he was on about until I finally filled in. Then it was her turn to panic.

As for Brock…well, Brock just kinda looked on in a daze. I was sort of feeling like that myself. For nine months this had been building up and now that it was here none of us knew what to do – except Delia. She was panicking but somewhere inside her the common sense shone through and she quickly fired off a million instructions at once.

"Ash, go pay the bill, Brock, start the car." She handed Brock the keys and I watched him walk off, feeling like I was in the middle of something too surreal for the imagination. "Now Misty, just sit down and relax, hun."

Relax? She wanted me to relax?! I was having a baby for crying out loud! I wasn't in much pain by now since it was only the start of the whole 'process' (as they call it) but I didn't know what to think or what I would do once I got to the hospital. Looking back now, I wonder why I didn't just realise that they would tell me what to do at the hospital. 

I sat down, grumbling about how unfair it was for this to crop up now. I had been dancing on stars with Ash, I had eaten the most delicious meal, I had been celebrating the victory over my cursed mother and now I had to go into labour. It's just my luck, I guess.

"Okay, I've paid, we can get a move on now. Where's Brock?" Ash asked hurriedly. 

"Settle down" I said calmly. I didn't need his panic influencing my own.

"He's starting the car up" Delia explained as we walked out. I think most of the diners knew what was going on but I had sworn to myself I wouldn't care about the looks and I didn't. I just couldn't even look at anyone but managed to keep my head high. I would show them. If I'd survived Mom, I'd survive anything.

I had never, in my whole life, realised that Delia could handle a car with such expertise. The fact that she was driving about fifty kilometers over the speed limit didn't bother her, nor did the prospect of getting a ticket, as Brock pointed out during the ride. But we made it to the hospital in time and I hadn't even had another contraction. 

This, I thought to myself, would be cake.

I was pestered over by nurses and doctors, my blood pressure taken, my heart listened to (which doesn't really seem relative but oh well) and then I was bustled into a wheelchair just as my second contraction kicked in.

"Owww, holy mother fu -" I managed to restrain myself from using any foul language in such a public place but I couldn't refrain from squeezing Ash's hand in an attempt to let him know the kind of pain I was going through. I'd been in labour for an hour, one whole hour, and now I was just starting to realise that this could be a bumpy ride.

"I'm sorry Mist, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Ash couldn't stop saying that, even when I told him to shut up. I couldn't put it any nicer when he apologised for about the twentieth time. I didn't even really know what the hell he was apologising for.

"Give it a rest!" I finally snapped before another contraction set in. "OWWW! Someone shoot me!" I yelled. This was insufferable. I couldn't bear another hour of this, let alone another couple of hours. The doctor had warned me that a first labour was usually long.

"Can't you do something?" Ash asked the doctor frantically. 

"We could give her an epidural but it's only temporary relief, the pain would be back in a couple of hours or so" the doctor replied.

"What does that involve?" Ash asked cautiously.

"She would have to have a needle injected in her back" the doctor said simply.

"A needle?!" Ash exclaimed. "In her _back_?"

"Ash, please, that is nothing compared to what – OW!" I screamed in agony. This was so unfair, why why WHY did it have to be me going through this? Ash could just sit on the sideline but he didn't actually have to do anything excruciating like this. 

"Well in order to give you the epidural we'd have to move you to the maternity ward now. Would that be a problem?" the doctor asked.

"No problem at all" I said gratefully as the contraction died down. Nothing would be a problem as long as this pain could be blocked. Delia and Brock had to wait outside but Ash was allowed in for some reason I can't quite figure out. Maybe he had negotiated with the doctor. I don't know, the point is I was at the most life-changing moment of my life and he was with me, and that was all that mattered.

Soon enough I was lying down on a bed and letting the drugs take hold. I didn't completely space out or anything, I just suddenly felt very happy. Never mind the fact that I was about to give birth to an illegitimate child, no worries, I was wearing the biggest smile on my face.

"Are you alright?" Ash asked worriedly as he sat down beside my bed.

"I am fine. Absolutely positively fine." I continued to smile through my words and I reached out for his hand. "Oh God, Ash. You are the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Mist, I really think this should be the first and last time you ever take drugs" Ash said seriously. I burst out laughing and shook my head. 

"It's not the drugs talking. I swear to you it's not. I want you to know that I don't care what happened when we were thirteen, I've put it behind me and I want you to as well. And I don't care what's happening now. This will all be over soon enough and to be honest it's been worth it. No more Mom and a whole lotta you" I sighed.

"Look, just don't worry about anything at the moment but yourself. I hate seeing you in this much pain, I'm -"

"Stop saying you're sorry. Please Ash" I whined. "The apologizing could turn out to be more painful than the actual labour."

"Okay" Ash finally relented.

For two and a half hours I was oblivious to any sort of pain that could've been dominating me. I assure you, it was total bliss. I chatted to Ash like nothing was going on, Delia and Brock came in for a while, all was good until…

"Okay, I think those drugs are starting to wear off" I said through clenched teeth. Ash eyed me worriedly as another contraction ripped through me. "Owww, oh my God, that was not nice" I whined when it was finally over. They were getting longer now. I thought the silly doctor had told me it would take a while because it was my first, but no, I was having regular contractions now. Why do drugs have to wear off? Why why why…

"Alright Misty, we better head back. We'll be waiting for you" Delia smiled as she kissed my forehead. I weakly smiled back at her and accepted the squeeze Brock gave my hand.

They both left and I turned to Ash, who had been talking to one of the nurses. He looked like more of a wreck than I did but I think the nerves were really getting to him. Never in his life had he experienced anything like this and now he had no choice but to front up to it. I couldn't blame his mind for being a little boggled.

"Are you okay?" I asked him softly.

"I am fine, and for God's sake I don't think _you _should be worrying about _me_." Ash had finished speaking when the doctor walked back in, just as another contraction decided to make another friendly pit stop.

"I…can't…take this!" I screamed. This one didn't seem to end. It was like a Scyther had found its way in there and was hysterically performing a swords dance it didn't want to stop.

"Just breathe, Mist" Ash reminded me. I didn't want to breathe, I wanted to die. I swore this would kill me before I could have the chance to breathe. It was causing tears to well up in my eyes and just when I thought I would pass out from the pain, the severity of it toned down.

"Ash…this is horrible. I can't do this" I whimpered with tears cascading down my cheeks. I didn't care how pathetic I looked. I must have been strong to still be alive through all this. Well, that's what I thought. 

"Yes you can, Misty. I know you can" Ash reassured me, kissing my cheek and wiping back a strand of hair that I had overseen. Another contraction shot through me and the doctor announced it was time to start pushing.

"What? I've only been in labour for two hours or something" I said feebly.

"No, you've actually been in labour for nearly five hours" the doctor informed me.

"Five hours? Are you serious?" I asked in astonishment. I had to take his word for it when contraction number…well, I had lost count, but another one struck up, one that was so bad I had to grasp Ash's hand till the imprints would probably become permanent 

"Come on love, just give us a push" the doctor pleaded.

"Are you nuts?!" I screamed at him. "I CAN'T, it hurts too much! I can't do this!" I was beginning to lose patience at having to deal with so much pain.

"Misty, please, you can get this all over with if you start pushing now" Ash said desperately. I slowly tilted my head to meet his eyes and saw the begging look he was signaling to me. "I hate seeing you in this much pain. Come on, I know you can do it."

Right. For you Ash, I will do it. I will get this over with and we can go back to our normal, happy lives. No baby, no Mom, no trials or media or anything. 

It took ages. I mean ages. I had already been in labour five hours and boy, I was starting to feel like it too. I was so tired. I would've easily have fallen into a deep sleep had it not been for the pain that was continually ravaging throughout me. But I tried and tried, I did my best because Ash wanted me to, because he believed in me, and finally I felt something sort of give. It's a weird feeling and I can't really describe it, but I thought it must have meant I was close to the end of all this.

I wasn't wrong. An hour after I had started pushing, six hours in labour and a lot of sweat and tears later, a scream pierced the air and I fell back on my pillow with an exhausted sigh. Was it really over? Could all the hassle and heartaches we had been through really have come to a halt with this one act?

"Miss Waterflower, Mr Ketchum, you have a baby daughter." The doctor was smiling as he said this and he was holding the little girl in his arms. It seemed like a picture perfect scene, even Ash had tears in his eyes…

But I couldn't look at her.

"You can take her away" I whispered, my head turned away so I couldn't see her. Her cries had toned down and she was now gurgling away happily in the doctor's arms and as much as I love babies, I just couldn't glimpse her way.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ash looking at me in shock and then I heard the fading footsteps of the doctor taking my daughter away to be with the other babies. Those babies had parents who could care for them, who would love them and be there for them forever. But my little girl didn't yet, and I couldn't face her for fear of being attached in the slightest.

"Misty, what are you doing?" Ash asked cautiously. "Don't you even wanna see her? She looked gorgeous to me."

"I can't, Ash. She is going to live with other people, not me, so I don't wanna look at her" I explained. I hoped Ash wouldn't probe into this. I really badly needed sleep.

"Misty! You don't wanna _look _at her? Are you ashamed of her or something?" 

"Maybe I am, I don't know. All I know is that I can't face her and I don't intend to. Just drop it Ash, I'm really tired" I sighed.

"Okay. I'll let you rest. I'll go and tell Brock and Mom" Ash announced. He kissed me softly and almost immediately I fell asleep with a toll I had never thought I would take.

I woke up…I don't know how many hours it was later, to see Ash sitting beside me with a pensive look on his face. His eyes were directed at me but he was looking straight through me and I knew it.

"Okay Ash, what's on your mind?" I asked quietly.

"You." He smiled and kissed my hand before sending a worried look in my direction. "Mist, I kinda have something to tell you."

"Oh God, I hate it when people say that. I hate it" I groaned. "Alright, just tell me what's going on then."

"I called Sarah just before" he announced calmly. My eyes widened and I was ready to give him a mouthful but he beat me to it. "I wanted to ask her if we could name the baby ourselves and she said we could. But then she started rattling off about how I hadn't signed the papers and that the adoption wasn't legal until I did. So…" He trailed off and I eyed him severely.

"Don't you dare put this off. Just tell me" I pleaded.

"I told her I wouldn't be signing any papers" Ash mumbled.

"ASH!" I yelled, my strength suddenly returning. "Are you out of your mind?! We _need _those papers signed, we can't give up the baby until you do that!"

"Uh Mist, that's kinda my point" Ash said. I raised an eyebrow and he grasped my hand again. "I went and saw her after I'd told Brock and Mom. You don't understand, she is the most gorgeous little girl in the whole world."

"Oh my God. Ash, don't say what I think you're going to say" I said shakily.

"I can't give her up, Mist. I just can't. She's you and she's me and she represents the love we have for each other. I can't bear the thought of handing her off to strangers with the possibility that I might never see her again."

"For God's sake, we are sixteen years old, neither of us are employed, we're living with your mother and we've already been through enough without having to look after a baby! Do you have _any _idea how much work a baby really is?" I asked in shock.

"Well of course it'll be a lot of work, but I know we can do it. You have to see her Misty, she looks exactly like you. Except for her hair, it's kinda –"

"ASH! I want you to stop this rubbish right now!" I yelled. "We can't bring up a baby. I don't want to put that on Delia or myself for that matter."

"We'll move out. We'll get our own flat" Ash shrugged.

"You haven't even thought this through" I sighed. "We haven't got any money."

"I've got that whole damn account from the Pokémon League. That's quite a nice nest egg I've got there. I'll work, I'll get a job, even if it is only flipping burgers or cleaning school halls. I don't want to give her up. It would be like giving you up" Ash said softly. 

I couldn't believe he was saying this. We had both agreed that adoption was the only way, we had no choice, and now here he was spurting out ideas in order for us to keep her. He must've been the one who was given drugs, not me.

"Ash, please be reasonable about this. A baby is a huge thing to take on. If you went and got a job I'd be at home by myself all day long with a newborn baby to take care of. I know it sounds fine and dandy to you but I don't want that responsibility because I don't think I could handle it" I explained.

"I think you could. I'd only work half a day so I could come home and help you. Why come this far to give her up now? I love her. I love my daughter and I've already told Sarah that I'm not signing any papers to give her up" Ash declared.

"Well then, I guess it's your turn to start making decisions without me" I sighed. "Look, if we screw up on this we could put her life in danger. I don't want to do that."

"We're responsible enough to –"

"You call making me pregnant at fifteen responsible?!" I spluttered in disbelief. "That was the first mistake! If we took this baby in like we were all one big happy family it would be disastrous. You have no idea…" I trailed off and bit my lip.

"Mist? Will you just think about it? I've told Sarah about the papers and now that little girl hasn't got a home because her mother won't even look at her" Ash said sadly.

"Don't try and lead me on a guilt trip, mister" I smiled weakly. "Have you asked your mom about this?"

"She thinks it would be a very good experience for the two of us. She saw the way I was holding her and she knows how much I love you. To be honest, she thinks it's a great idea" Ash explained. "Plus she said she would help out in any way possible."

"I can't believe this" I groaned. "Alright, give me a day to think about it. But I am not making any promises."

"Do you wanna see her?" Ash asked. I hesitated before I answered.

"Alright. But only for a minute" I said cautiously. Ash grinned and practically sprinted out the door to retrieve her. I sighed with a million thoughts killing any sort of emotions except confusion. The idea of bringing up a baby was very nice and lovey-dovey but it could also be very very stupid. I didn't want to put a baby's life at risk or only give it the bare essentials because we couldn't provide for it.

But suddenly my thoughts, pros and cons were cut short when Ash slowly walked back through the door with a small bundle in his arms. It was like all reality had dissolved as he walked towards me, his eyes fixated on the child he held in his arms before he looked up at me with a look I've never seen him portray.

"Misty, this is your daughter…uh, I guess she's untitled at the moment" he muttered. I laughed weakly and watched in awe as Ash slowly sat down on my bed and stroked her cheek. "She's beautiful" he whispered. "She is the most beautiful being on this planet. Well, of course, she ties for first place with you" he quickly added.

"Sure sure" I grinned. My expression softened when I caught a quick glimpse of her hair and bit my lip before continuing. "Can I hold her for a minute?"

Well a minute turned into half an hour. There was something so captivating about her, I just couldn't put my finger on it. Her eyes held their innocent gaze on me, luring me with their purity and adorability. I couldn't tear myself away from her. She was so placid in my arms, she didn't know the hell we had been through because of her, and I felt a strange sense of peace overwhelming me.

"Mist? You've gone very quiet" Ash noted. I nodded, running my finger over her little cheek and jaw line, and that cute diminutive chin. She was, in every way, perfect. Some insane part of me was mulling over Ash's idea to keep her for ourselves and no matter how desperately I tried to tell that voice to shut up, I can only put it down to maternal instincts kicking in.

"Ash…she's gorgeous" I whispered. She was so attentive. I thought babies just slept, ate and cried occasionally, but her eyes were darting everywhere like rockets were flying overhead. She never failed to look straight into my eyes though. It was like she knew I was tearing myself in two over her and that somehow her visual tools would bring me round.

"Do you wanna name her?" Ash asked me quietly.

"I don't wanna name her something you'll hate" I replied.

"Brock told me you were planning on Stacy or Cassandra. Were you getting ahead of yourself there, Misty?" Ash asked with a broad grin. I laughed quietly.

"I was just fooling round, y'know, I was thinking of my children in the future. But this one does need a name, can't just leave her as untitled forever." I paused and Ash held his finger out to the little girl, who immediately grasped at it and started to examine it with her wide little eyes.

"I don't suppose Maria is at the top of any lists" Ash muttered.

"Good God no" I shuddered. "Or maybe we could just do that to piss Mom off. Nah, that's not fair to this little one." Oh God, I was starting to sound like a mother. This was not good. I was being swayed by my boyfriend and my six hour old child who wasn't even supposed to be in my arms at the moment. 

"How about Andrea?" Ash suggested.

"Andrea…" I mused over the name. It was Italian, I knew that much, and she seemed to have the Italian traits about her. Huge eyes that posed a potential dramatic risk when she got older, beautiful skin, a horrible way of persuading me to do something I never imagined doing even a day ago. "She looks like an Andrea."

"Yeah, she does" Ash agreed. "She needs a middle name too."

"Hmm, I suppose she does. Got it. Delia."

"You wanna give her my mother's name for her second name?" Ash asked in what seemed to be amazement.

"Why ever not? Your mother has been a saint, someone I can never ever be more thankful towards, and if this is the least I can do, so be it" I shrugged.

"So you're gonna call her Andrea Delia, even though you still wanna give her up, therefore having absolutely no point in making her second name after her grandmother?" Ash asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Ash…" I trailed off, still enthralled by those enchanting eyes. "It would be a lot of work. We would probably spend a good deal of our lives struggling. That's something neither of us are used to" I pointed out.

"I don't care" Ash shook his head. "I want the both of you by my side forever. Struggle is something I'm used to" he groaned. I smiled at him before speaking again.

"If I agree that we can keep her and we move out and live in this whole fantasy scenario you've got going, will you promise me not to whine or complain every time we can't afford something? Or every time someone makes a comment or every time we have to get up at 3 in the morning to her?"

"Misty Waterflower, you have my absolute and genuine word. I refused to sign those papers for a reason, and I don't intend to go back on what I believe is something so right" Ash replied.

"She was wrong to start with" I pointed out.

"In the past. She is the best now. If I gave her up I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I'm sorry Mist, but I just wouldn't" Ash said.

There was a huge pause as I thought over the pros and cons. This could be so ridiculous…but then again, if something went wrong Delia was always there. And Dad too, I knew he would never abandon me. I closed my eyes and tried to keep the smile that was forming off my face.

"Okay Ash. We'll keep Andrea."

A/N: Gotta run, time limit, eek! The next one and then the epilogue and then finito! Aww. Anyways thanks for the reviews, gotta jet, ahhh!


	28. A Quest For Happiness

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon.

A/N: Thing to note – I'm not actually sure if this is the proper title of this chapter, I'm uploading this at the house I babysit at so I'm not sure. Well, I'm pretty sure, but ah well, either way it works. Reviews, flames, whatever's on your mind I'd love to hear at the end!

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Chapter twenty-seven – A Quest for Happiness

Ash, Andrea and I returned to the hotel that very day and then went straight to the airport where Delia had booked us a flight back to Pallet Town. Brock was catching a later flight to Pewter City so we said our goodbyes at the airport with the both of us promising to keep in touch with him. Brock had officially declared himself Andrea's almost-uncle and he handed me a small box before we boarded for our flight at 6pm.  
  
"This is for Andrea. Don't open it until you get home" he instructed.  
  
"It better not be expensive" I said warningly.  
  
"Too bad if it is cos I've already paid for it" Brock grinned.   
  
Andrea was an angel on the flight. I was dreading the prospect of her screaming the whole way and causing once content passengers to transform to disgruntled complainants. But she slept the whole way in my arms. When we landed, she had officially been in our care for six hours. And when we got home, Ash experienced his first diaper-changing session.  
  
"Now remember, you were the one who said you wouldn't mind looking after her and that you wanted to keep her" I reminded him as his face went a pale shade of green.  
  
While he was doing this Delia was setting up Ash's old crib that was to be Andrea's bed until we bought some stuff for her ourselves. We would have to buy a lot of gear before we even considered moving out - a bassinette, clothes (we'd hurriedly bought a small supply in Cerulean before we left), baby monitors, a high chair, a walker…  
  
I swore Ash's account would be hollow by the time we were through.  
  
"She's all changed and in her pajamas!" Ash beamed as he walked back with Andrea in his arms.  
  
"I don't believe it. You put her in her pajamas?" I asked in genuine amazement.  
  
"I'm not totally incompetent, you know" Ash muttered.  
  
"I know" I smiled, briefly kissing his lips and taking Andrea off him. "Hey Andie D" I cooed quietly. She was so tired. Even I, the most inexperienced person at looking after babies, could see that. "Come on, we better put you to bed. Say goodnight to Daddy." Ash kissed his daughter on the cheek and bade her goodnight. She would be sleeping in the room next to us (yes, Ash and I were _finally_ sharing a room, but the 'rules' still applied, which I guess was fair enough) and by the time we made it upstairs, Delia had put the whole crib together.  


"Thank you Delia" I said softly as I gingerly laid Andrea down. Almost immediately she closed her heavy eyelids in a slumber that would later be broken. I couldn't stop looking at her, even with those mesmerizing eyes closed.  
  
"Would you still have given her up?" Delia suddenly asked.  
  
"I wouldn't have wanted to, but I was so worried we would muck this up somehow. I thought she'd be better off with people who knew what they were doing" I explained.   
  
"Well I know what I'm doing. By the time you two get out of here you'll know way more about babies than other kids your age" Delia said assuredly.  
  
"Do you really think we can look after her on our own?" I asked worriedly as we walked out of Andrea's room.  
  
"Sweetie, if you and Ash love her, which I know you do, then I assure you that you can look after her. And I'm always here for the three of you, don't you ever forget that."  
  
"I do love her" I smiled.  
  
"I've seen the way you've handled her in this short time and Ash has grown up so much since you came back into his life. You will all be fine, though I have to warn you, there will be times when you feel like you're going snap. But you get through that" Delia shrugged.  
  
Well let me tell you, there were a million and one times I could've snapped in the month that followed. Delia was right, I became an expert at looking after Andrea and had absolutely no qualms about agreeing to keep her. But she was a newborn baby and with that title came the dreaded practice of waking up every three hours to feed her or comfort her or rock her back to sleep. Ash and I took turns getting up to her but we both woke up anyways and the lack of sleep tested my patience in everyday things.  
  
I cried if I dropped the washing basket. I yelled at the TV if something I didn't like came on. I yelled at Delia. I yelled at Ash.  
  
I did a lot of yelling in those first couple of weeks.  
  
But things finally started falling into place when Ash found a small apartment in town that we could afford to rent. It was perfect, two bedrooms and in easy access of shopping malls and doctors and all that. We moved in two weeks after Ash signed the rent contract and just before Andrea turned six weeks old.  
  
Oh bliss. She fell into a sleeping pattern a week before we moved. I managed to get about six hours sleep a night, which was double what I was getting before. And I'll confess, we took a LOT of photos of her. All three of us became incredibly camera-happy around her. She hadn't reached any milestones or anything but she was too gorgeous not to capture on film.  


As we were packing boxes and clearing out our stuff, I stumbled upon that present Brock had given me before we'd left Cerulean. I had hurriedly put it in a drawer and now here it was, as untouched as the day I had last seen it.   
  
"What's that?" Ash asked as he dumped a box by his feet to see better.  
  
"It's the present Brock got for Andrea. I totally forgot about it" I explained.  
  
"Well don't just stand there, open it!" Ash commanded excitedly. He couldn't stand seeing an unwrapped present and I laughed as I started peeling away the paper to reveal a velvet box. "Woah, hold up, you don't think she's a little too young for jewelry?" Ash asked.  
  
"I don't think it's an engagement ring or anything serious like that so just chill" I grinned. "Still, I don't really know if anything would be tiny enough to fit her." With a shrug of my shoulders I opened the box and drew in a breath at what was inside. It was a gold identity bracelet. It wouldn't fit her for years but it was so precious I had to hold back my tears.  
  
"Wow, Brocko does alright in the present department then" Ash said. I could tell he was impressed too.  
  
"I warned him about it being expensive" I muttered, picking it up and examining it closely. Her name was engraved on the front and there was something on the back too.  
  
_A.D.K. 4.15.02  
_  
Her initials and date of birth. Man, Brock had really gone out of his way to get that done so quickly. And if you're wondering about the 'K' at the end, Ash and I had decided she would keep Ash's surname. It was so much easier than double barreling it - Andrea Delia Waterflower-Ketchum. Sheesh, what a mouthful that would've been.  
  
It was at that point Andrea stirred and then fully woke up. I put the bracelet back in the box, handed it to Ash and went to soothe her cries.  
  
"Hi darling" I said quietly as I picked her up. "Look what Uncle Brock got you, aren't you a lucky girl?" I cooed. I couldn't help acting mushy or goofy around her. She had me completely head over heels.  
  
"Ah yes, very pretty but not for another couple of years yet" Ash said when she reached out to grab it. He laughed at her startled eyes as he held it out of reach. She looked absolutely shocked at not being allowed it.  
  
"Isn't your daddy mean?" I said sympathetically. Now Ash was the one looking shocked and our roles were reversed when I started laughing. Sometimes, I thought to myself, it just wasn't fair. If we were just a little older and more experienced, we would look almost perfect. But image isn't everything and that was a lesson I had had to learn by ignoring the looks people gave us when I was pregnant or when we took Andrea out by ourselves.  
  
We were young, but we weren't entirely stupid. We couldn't afford to be.  
  
We packed the rest of our stuff in no time - we didn't have much, Andrea might have had more than us - and we arrived at our new home at 5pm. We had already set up our bed and Andrea's crib, but apart from that the apartment was pretty bare. That was the last thing on my mind. Andrea had been unsettled since we'd arrived and I swore she would never stop crying. I pleaded with her, I rocked her, cuddled her, fed her, changed her, I did everything I could think of and nothing seemed to work.  
  
"Have you fed her?" Ash asked as I frantically paced around the room with her in my arms.  
  
"Of course I have, Einstein!" I snapped over her wails. Ash reeled and went to…well, I don't know where he went. Possibly to escape my inevitable wrath. "Come on Andie, shhh, please settle down…" I quietly pleaded. Nope, she wasn't listening. I didn't realise babies could be as stressed as adults when it came to moving but hey, I guess I was learning quickly.  
  
She must have got tired because her cries finally died down at about 7.30 and I used that as my opportunity to put her to bed. She would sleep until midnight, have a feed and then sleep until 6. Like I said, bliss.  
  
I flopped onto our one and only couch next to Ash, who had finally found it safe enough to venture out to my presence. Delia had left an hour ago after her attempts to settle Andrea also failed and she promised to check up on us ASAP. I didn't actually take into account that she took the phrase ASAP literally.  
  
"Mom's already called my cell phone" Ash announced with an amused smirk. She would have to, we didn't have a phone connected yet.  
  
"You're kidding! Oh God, she's done enough. Tell her we're fine" I said. I leant my head against his shoulder, desperate for sleep and desperate to know in advance if we really would be fine. This was still early days yet.  
  
"Hey, don't fall asleep there. I've got champagne" Ash happily declared.  
  
"Champagne?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. Ash pulled a bottle out from behind his back and I wrinkled my nose. "Yuck, now it'll be warm."  
  
"Well you don't have to have any but I sure am" Ash said. He also miraculously produced two plastic cups and I burst out laughing when I saw this.   
  
"Champagne in plastic cups. How posh" I commented. Ash filled the cups and handed me one with an unfamiliar glint in his eye.  
  
"May I propose a toast?" he asked formally.  
  
"I'm not gonna stop you" I shrugged, my tone the total opposite to his. Ash held my spare hand with his and smiled a smile that thawed any worries that had once been invading me.  
  
"To our new life. To our daughter, who we are so blessed to have. And to our love that will mould our lives forever" he said softly. His fingers were running over the back of my hand, a touch still as electrifying as it had been when I first felt it, and I gulped away all my tears but one. It slid down my cheek on a path of eternal gratitude before Ash kissed it away. "I think this is the part where we clink glasses. Or cups, in this case."  
  
I let out a sort of half-sob half-laugh and clinked my cup against his in agreement to all his words. This was our new life, it was what we had strived towards, and I had worked too hard and endured too much to worry about troubles that hadn't even come our way.  
  
The champagne was delicious - sweet on my tongue and delightfully slightly acidic on my throat - and I put my cup down to cuddle up to him again. The walls were a disgusting pale yellow, I suddenly realised.  
  
"I'm gonna re-paint the walls" I decided out loud.  
  
"You shouldn't take on that much. You're too fragile" Ash commented.  
  
"What did you just call me?!" I exclaimed in horror. I flashed intimidating eyes at him, eyes he hadn't crossed paths with since our Pokemon journeys, and he instantly backed off.  


"I'm sorry, Miss Independent Woman" Ash apologised.  
  
"So you should be" I said haughtily, but he saw my smile emerging and squeezed me tight, causing me to involuntarily break out into giggles.  
  
"Well no matter how much of an independent woman you are, I am not letting you go again."  
  
"Darn right" I softly replied. He bent down and kissed me, his lips still tasting of champagne and his hands starting to make a half-familiar trail over my body. I didn't stop him. This was uncannily like the situation that night at Washbay. It had started innocently enough on a couch but this time I didn't need a trigger or anything to make me realise what was happening.  
  
And I confess, I didn't pull away or think twice this time. If anything I only encouraged it.  
  
"God Mist, you're beautiful" Ash somehow managed to mumble in between the increasing amount of passion we were creating. I didn't want this to ever have to stop. His hands had found their way under my shirt and all I could do was beg for more when, of course…  
  
Knock knock. Had to happen, didn't it?  
  
"No, not now" I groaned in immense disappointment. Ash's hands immediately withdrew from me and I looked at him with puppy dog eyes. "Can't we leave it?" I whispered, tracing my finger down his jaw line, towards his chest.  
  
"Christ, Misty" Ash moaned. He was obviously torn in two but he didn't have to be for long when a voice called through the door.  
  
"Nothing urgent peachpie, just wanted to see how you were getting on. I can come back later."   
  
"Dad?!" I exclaimed in shock. He must've thought I was busy dealing with Andrea. I practically fell off Ash and staggered towards the door while trying to make myself look less tousled. I opened the door and hugged my surprised father the second I laid eyes on him.  
  
"I didn't know if you were home or not. It's so good to see you" Dad said as he hugged me back.  
  
"Come in, view our new home" I grinned, leading him inside where Ash was looking very calm and relaxed on the couch. Nothing gave any hints that certain actions were accumulating only minutes before.  
  
"It's a pleasure to see you again, uh…sir" Ash said hesitantly. Dad accepted his outstretched hand with a warm smile.  
  
"You can call me Jeff, you know."  
  
"Oh, okay then" Ash smiled. He was instantly relaxed and the three of us sat on the couch, me seated between the two most important men in my life.  
  
"Um, I'd offer you a coffee or something but the jug hasn't been unpacked yet" I admitted.  
  
"That's alright, I just came by to tell you something quickly." Dad's eyes scanned the room before coming to rest on the framed photo of Ash, Andrea and myself we had placed on the kitchen bench. "Is that her?" he asked.  
  
"Yup. That's Andrea Delia" I beamed.  
  
"Wow. She's an absolute gem" Dad said softly. He turned back to me and Ash with eyes that spoke of many ordeals and pains he had been through. This was when I started to get worried. Dad had come by to tell me something and already his eyes were telling me it was serious.  
  
"Daddy? What did you wanna tell me?" I asked timidly.  
  
"It's nothing too bad, Misty. You were probably expecting it actually. Your mother and I are filing for divorce and I'm planning to move to Cinnabar Island" Dad announced.   
  
Divorce? Cinnabar Island? Too many things for my brain to work through in an instant and I stared at him with wide, confused eyes. About five seconds later I managed to speak.  
  
"Divorce? You're leaving Mom?" I asked shakily. I had never wanted our family to split up in this way, it was almost as if it meant the end of all togetherness. Well, not that I had been around lately, but I still considered myself a bit of a Waterflower. What would I consider myself if Mom and Dad went separate ways?  
  
"It shouldn't be such a surprise to you. I'm leaving her for the same reasons you did - she's controlling, power-hungry and she stops at nothing to get what she wants. I'm sick of it" Dad sighed.  
  
"I didn't realise she was getting to you that much" I said.  
  
"Misty, she sued my daughter's boyfriend on a desperate claim in the hope to somehow destroy your already damaged lives. It was the final straw. When the court was adjourned that last day we argued all the way back home and for three hours afterwards. She knew she had had it. Lily, being the peacemaker that she is, tried so hard to make us see a solution but I honestly can't see one. The other two are devastated but I think they see me as too much of a softy on you anyway."  
  
"Oh Dad. I'm so sorry" I whispered.  
  
"What on earth do you mean by that?" Dad asked.  
  
"It was my fault the stuff got repossessed and you moved and that you're divorcing Mom. I'm too stupid and naive to think about the consequences of my actions and for that you can ignore me for the rest of your life" I said sadly. The reaction I received was the last thing I expected, because Dad burst out laughing. Okay, so my father was totally demolishing my attempts to be remorseful. The question was, why?  
  
"Misty, oh my gosh, I didn't realise you were the major drama queen of our family" Dad said jovially. "Stop blaming yourself this instant. You are here with a guy you love and a daughter you cherish, and none of that has anything to do with this divorce. It would've happened sooner or later because I was already unhappy way before any of this happened."  
  
"What? Are you serious?" I asked in amazement.  
  
"Of course I was. She controlled my every move. I mean, I agreed that the whole idea of the four of you going to Washbay would be a good thing, especially for you, but a video camera? I had to wonder." Dad smiled and grasped my hand. "I wanted you to be happy because I wasn't. And now it's my turn to be happy. I hope you can understand that. Divorce is an ugly word, an ugly thing, but if it's my key to happiness I'm more than willing to take it."  
  
I looked at my father for a long time. I had never seen the worn lines that shouldn't have been there yet, the black hair subtly streaked gray. And now that I had seen them, I didn't care if Mom ended up on her knees begging him back only to have him flatly refuse her invitations. He had every right to do what he liked in his quest for happiness, just as I had had to do for my own.   
  
"Dad, I don't care what it takes. You are the only member of my family who wants me to be happy, no matter what the cost, and I want you to have the same. I don't care what Mom thinks or does. You be happy, you deserve to be." This was weird. I was almost repeating what he had said to me in that letter he'd sent over Christmas. But I don't think that mattered because he was hugging me again and I suddenly realised that already he was happier.  
  
"I know she's probably asleep, but do you think I could take a quick glimpse at my granddaughter?" Dad asked as he pulled away.  
  
"Of course, sure. She sleeps really well" I informed him as all three of us stood up. Ash hadn't actually had a word in but I think he understood that it wasn't his place to comment at the moment, no matter how much damage Mom had done to him or how much he agreed with Dad. He couldn't just butt in and say, 'Yeah brother, ditch that bitch, you can do better!' Not that he would or anything…  


We tiptoed to Andrea's room and slowly walked through in a main objective not to wake her. She never stirred as she had her first encounter with her grandfather. I held back my tears as Dad gazed at her in awe and obvious love. She may have had a bit of a dodgy background when it came to her parents, but that didn't matter when she was the most loved little girl in the world.  
  
"She is beautiful" Dad whispered. "She almost looks exactly like you" he said to me.  
  
"She's got Ash's nose, the poor thing" I sighed. Ash gently nudged me in mock offence and I laughed quietly.  
  
"Well I hope that isn't the only good trait she has from her father" Dad said softly. I could see Ash was trying not to look too pleased at the comment but really, anyone wouldn't be able to help it.  
  
Dad left ten minutes later (because, like I said, it is impossible to tear yourself away from Andrea when you first see her) and I promised I'd keep the emails and letters going. He wasn't too far away either. Cinnabar Island was a few miles south and only took a short car trip and a boat ride to get there. Visits would hardly be impossible.  
  
"That man is incredible" Ash commented as he stood with me by the now closed door. "He still likes me, even after I persuaded you to keep Andie. I'm surprised he hasn't placed a restraining order on me to stay the hell away from you because I'm a potential threat to your sanity."  
  
"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself" I giggled. "He likes you because you've made me happy. He thinks happiness is the most important thing in the world, and that's what he's trying to find right now. It's just a shame he has to find happiness at the end of love instead of with it, like we have."  
  
"Trust me, he'll be a lot better off without that witch around" Ash shuddered.  
  
"I know" I agreed, wondering why the hell I had ever worried about divorce in the first place. Maybe the word just scared me when I was younger because I had heard horror stories of custody battles and blended families not working out.   
  
There was a comfortable silence that surrounded us before I let out a yawn against my will. It was a big one too, and I tried to shorten it but it just couldn't seem to stop.   
  
"Okay Mist, bed time" Ash announced when I finally shut my mouth.  
  
"I won't argue with you on that one" I replied. He grabbed my hand and tried to walk me to our room but I found my feet refusing to co-operate with me. "I can't move" I whined.  
  
"Oh." It was all Ash said before he stood before me and, in a blur I couldn't grab a hold of for a few seconds, hoisted me up in his arms and was holding me above the ground. I had to hold in my squeal of shock and delight in order not to wake up my sleeping daughter three doors down.  
  
"Ash! What are you doing?" I hissed through a smile.  
  
"Helping you move" Ash replied simply as he started walking towards our room.  


"You're a head case" I muttered.   
  
"Maybe so, but remember, you're the one who has repeatedly told me you're in love with me. So don't go making a head case sound like a bad thing when you love one" Ash pointed out. I sighed in happy exasperation (doesn't sound right, does it?) and once again managed to keep in my squeals when Ash practically dropped me onto the bed.   
  
"What are you trying to do, break my back or something?" I asked through my laughs.  
  
"No" Ash said as he laid down beside me. "I'm trying to let you know how much I love you."  
  
"By flinging me on a bed and potentially threatening to break many a bone in my body? Wow Ash, I love you too" I grinned.  
  
"Misty" Ash said seriously. The grin instantly vanished from my face thanks to his staid tones and I intently waited for him to go on. "I really do love you."  
  
"I know. I love you too" I said softly. I stroked a finger over his cheek and found myself unable to avoid locking eyes with him. "I love you so much I've come this far in the name of it all. I never ever envisioned myself living with my boyfriend at the age of sixteen, let alone my daughter as well. But I don't care. I'm loving every minute of it."  
  
"We've only been here three or so hours" Ash pointed out.  
  
"So? I love it. And I love you." I hungrily planted my lips on his, probably taking him by surprise, and pulled away to trace my finger on the original path it had been on before Dad had knocked on the door. "You're a part of me, Ash. You always will be." I was ready to pick up where we had left off before Ash eyed me seriously.  
  
"Now Misty, as much as I love Andrea, I don't think I'm quite ready to handle two at a time" he said. I burst out laughing and pulled his forehead close to mine.  
  
"I thought that might be the case. So I came prepared" I announced. Ash raised an eyebrow at my comments. I rolled my eyes in frustration at his dimness and reached over to my bedside table (the only other thing we had unpacked) to produce a box of…okay, I'm gonna say this…condoms. There, I did it, I said it. For some reason the word niggles at me. My face had sweltered in horrific embarrassment when I had bought them a couple of days ago but I knew, from a lesson well learnt, that it was better to be safe than sorry. And I also knew that tonight would be inevitable. For nine months we had had to hold off and now nothing was stopping us.   
  
"Wow Mist, you were really getting ahead of yourself there. You can't be that tired then" Ash said mischievously.   
  
"Oh for God's sake, these kill enough romance as it is, can you please just -"  
  
"Misty, it's okay, I'm sorry" Ash genuinely apologized. "Just forget I've been a sarcastic pain in the ass. I love you, and I think you're brilliant to be so, uh…equipped as you are. The thought never even occurred to me."  
  
"That's the second time you've done that" I grinned. Ash reflected my smile but I think that was about where conversation minimilized or perhaps just stopped full stop. He kissed me slowly and carefully then, like I was fragile and needed to be handled with care. Maybe I did. Something inside of me was still scared, most likely because of what had happened last time I'd been in this situation. But what did I have to worry about? We had protection, Mom was well out of our way.  
  
I relaxed and kissed him back, letting his hands explore places they hadn't been in so long. I melted at his touch, I succumbed to any sort of power he involuntarily had over me and no matter how scared I had been, I suddenly found myself feeling safer than I ever had in my life.  
  
"I love you" I whispered in his ear as he slowly, tantalizingly undressed me. I was a gift that only he could have and I was determined not to disappoint him in any way.   
  
"I love you too" Ash whispered back. His breath tingled my skin in the same way his hands did, running all over me, loving me as only he could. His lips followed his hands and reality meshed with fantasy in my mind. I was his for tonight, forever, and his kisses over my exposed body only confirmed this.   


He was never going to take advantage of me. They call this making love for a reason.  
  
Again it was magical, unbelievable, and about ten times better than it had been the first time. Again we were a union of body, mind and soul. We were happy, sated, overwhelmed by love as we lay there in each others arms. I didn't fall asleep almost straight away like I had last time. I just loved the feeling of having him with me and of knowing that this was definitely the beginning of our new life.  
  
Dad had set out on his quest for his first lot of happiness that day. Ash and I had confirmed that we'd found our own happiness not for the first time on the same day. I fell asleep to the feeling of his arms around me and the sensation of love running rampant throughout me.

A/N: Only the ep to go! Wowee! As usual I don't have much to say except keep an eye out for the ep and AAML forever! Man I'm original, lol.


	29. Epilogue

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon.  
  
A/N: Make this quick, okie dokie, the last one! Awww. Anyways it's short cos it's only an epilogue so read on  
and I'll make a big A/N at the end.  
  
  
  
Epilogue  
  
  
  
So now I lie here, in me and Ash's double bed at 1.00 in the morning, looking back on it all and marveling on how  
we survived everything we had to face. I still don't really know how we did it, and I probably shouldn't wonder  
and just be grateful.  
  
The outcome was something I didn't expect at all. For one thing, I didn't think it would kill my sisters' careers as  
it, apparently, almost did. The fact that my father is the only member of my family still talking to me is also a huge  
blow - I sort of understand why Daisy, Violet and Lily won't speak to me anymore, but I wish they would. I miss  
them so much, and they did so much for Ash and I.  
  
My life has virtually come to a standstill in terms of being a teenager. I can't be a teenager anymore. I have no  
choice but to grow up, and grow up fast. Ash is going through the same thing, but he's lucky in the form of his  
mother, Delia, who has been nothing short of supportive and understanding through all of this.  
  
I smile over at Ash now, sleeping peacefully with a content look dominating his face. The sacrifices he's made  
for me and the support and love he's given to me is overwhelming. I will never be able to pay him back, no  
matter how hard I try.   
  
A shrill scream pierces my thoughts and I snap my head up in a temporary panic. Ash rubs his eyes and slowly  
sits up, facing me with a weary but nonetheless happy smile.  
  
"I'll go" he offers, pecking my cheek and walking towards the door. About five seconds after he leaves I hear  
Andrea calming down, her soft gurgles traveling down the hall, making me smile with an emotion I'd never felt  
before now. I can picture her angelic blue eyes, her mop of light brown hair all fluffy from being roused from her  
slumber.   
  
I sigh, thinking of what I will have to tell her in years to come. The same panic invades me as I realise that when  
she starts school, I'll only be 21. Some of the other mothers would probably be twice my age, and when she got  
older she'd wonder why myself and Ash were so much younger than her friends' parents, and…  
  
My thoughts are cut off as Ash walks in, Andrea in his arms as placid as could be, and my panic evaporates for  
the time being to make way for the delight I always feel at the mere sight of my daughter. I can't believe I can call  
her that. My daughter. Our daughter, I think, flashing a grin at Ash.  
  
"You should've kept her in bed" I whisper as Ash sits down beside me.   
  
"She wanted to see you" Ash whispers back.   
  
"Oh, so you can read babies minds now huh?" I ask with a soft laugh.  
  
"I can read this one's. And quite frankly, I don't blame her" Ash says softly, leaning over to kiss me just as  
Andrea's little sobs start up again.  
  
"Oh shhh, shush angel, it's okay" I say soothingly, taking her off Ash and sending him a teasing look. "Yeah,  
she really wanted to see me."  
  
Ash grins sheepishly. "She always wants to see you. And I love seeing her with you." This I already know. Ash  
can't get over the fact that we look so similar, and neither can Delia actually. The only real separation between  
us is the hair that's a mesh of both myself and Ash's shades.   
  
"Who would've thought, huh?" I whisper, kissing Andrea's forehead as I begin giving her her midnight feed.  
Yes, breastfeeding, frowned upon by some people but not me, or either of the Ketchums. So sorry if you  
disapprove, but I do believe it was my choice to make.  
  
"Who would've thought what?" Ash asks.  
  
"If you'd told me a year ago that I'd be the mother to your child today I would've either laughed, thrown up or  
done both. So who would've thought we'd be here now?" I say again, stroking Andrea's cheek with one finger.  
God she's beautiful. She's going to be a heartbreaker when she grows up. If only Mom could love her as much  
as I do…  
  
Tears well up in my eyes at the thought of Andrea never meeting her maternal grandmother, or having an  
unwelcome encounter with her. Those words chill me at the mere thought of them.  
  
That child is nothing more than an illegitimate offspring of that imbecile…  
  
"Mist? Hey Misty, what's wrong?" Ash asks, moving closer to me and placing an arm around my shoulders.  
  
"Andrea's only ever gonna have one grandmother. The other one hates her" I say, my voice trembling as much  
as my hands.  
  
"You shouldn't worry about that, Mist. Mom loves Andrea as much as two grandmothers would" Ash points  
out.  
  
"I know" I sigh, watching Andrea's petite yet spellbinding eyes slowly closing in tired contentment. "I just wish  
Mom could see what she's missing out on. She's got the most beautiful granddaughter but she refuses to see  
past her hate for me and thus hates her."  
  
"Look, your mom doesn't hate you, or Andrea. It may take years before she faces you again, but she will  
eventually. And when she does, she'll kick herself for missing out on watching Andrea grow up, and Andrea  
will realise how lucky she was to miss out on having such a bat of a grandmother" Ash grins.  
  
"I guess that's true" I giggle. By now Andrea is sleeping soundly again and I hold her close, recalling Delia's  
words to me when I had first moved here.  
  
This could be a blessing in disguise.  
  
It truly is exactly that. The road has been bumpy, windy and downright hopeless at times – but look at us now.  
Although we're not legally bound by marriage, Ash and I are one whole unit, which has now expanded with  
Andrea. We have battled against the greatest odds and even now are still paying some consequences – no  
social life, nearly a whole family that won't face me, our public reputations…  
  
But, handing Andrea back to her father, I know it has been worth it. All three of us will still have many  
tribulations to go through in the future, and that is a scary thought. Yet I cuddle up to Ash and my worries  
disappear as he starts to softly sing the lullaby he made up for Andrea after we named her.  
  
"Andrea D, I love thee,  
  
Stay forever here with me,  
  
The angels frantically search around,  
  
Knowing one of them is on earth's ground.  
  
It is you, my fair princess,  
  
With you my life is at its best,  
  
I promise you forever more,  
  
You'll be the only one I adore."  
  
It's such a sweet rhyme, and I know Ash means it from the bottom of his heart. I've never seen him look at  
anyone, even me, the way he looks at Andrea. It's a mesh of emotions I can't quite figure out, but I know that  
love and pride are the dominant ones.  
  
"The only one I adore" Ash repeats quietly, his eyes not leaving her tiny form. "With the exception of your  
mother." He turns to me, love practically beaming from his face, even at one in the morning.  
  
"I'll second that" I whisper. With that our lips meet in a mixture of love, warmth and hope. He loves me. I love  
him. We love Andrea. And if love is the only thing that will keep us going, so be it.  
  
I will just always be so grateful we survived the second time around.  
  
  
  
A/N: The grand finale! Well, not really, but oh well. I have sooo many people to thank, namely each and every  
one of you who has reviewed. God, I nearly got 200 and that is just amazing. I'm so glad you guys liked it cos  
seriously, there was a time I was considering abandoning this fic. Phew, glad I didn't! I guess all I have to say  
now is thank you again, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! And look out for the sequel, "The River Runs Through It".   
the first part is being posted tomorrow but it won't be updated as quick as this one cos it's being written on the way. Anyways,  
thanks again everyone, AAML forever and ever! Yay! 


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